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RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO 

LEWIS J. SELZNICK 

THE FOUNDER AND FATHER 

OF THE 
WORLD FILM ORGANIZATION 




RUITAGE from long experi- 
ence, hard knocks, deep analysis 
and practical application, this 
book has been written as a guide and 
a permanent reference for the employes 
of the World Film Corporation. It 
embraces not only the operations of 
the various departments of the business 
and the detail handling of all activities 
and mechanical forms, but also the 
general policies and the high business 
ideals which form the underlying 
principles of this great co-operative 
and creative organization. That it may 
prove as helpful to you in its study and 
application as it has been to him in its 
creation and construction is the sincere 
wish of the author. 



INDEX 
DIVISION MANAGERS 

Page 

Qualifications 8 

General Duties 8 

Division Operation 9 

Sales Development 9 

Sales by Mail 9 

Sales by Salesmen 10 

Collections 11 

Expenditures •. 11 

Business Analysis 12 

Efficiency 13 

Choosing Managers 14 

Developing and Handling Men 15 

Backing up Managers 16 

Creative Ideas 17 

Division Co-operation 18 

Planning Sales Campaigns 18 

Developing Weak Sales Spots 19 

Personal Contact with Offices 20 

Supervising Local Policies 20 

Checking Detail Operations 20 

Reports on Branches 21 

Developing a Run Down Office 21 

Installing Branch Managers 22 

Standardization of Offices 23 

Weekly Meetings 23 

Division Manager's Office 23 

BRANCH MANAGERS 

Qualifications 26 

General Duties 26 

Branch Operations 27 

Sales Development 27 

Sales by Mail 27 

Sales by Salesmen 29 

Collections 33 

Economical Expenditure 34 

Salesmen's Expenses 30 

Office Efficiency 37 

Number of Employees 38 

Service to Customers 39 

Courtesy and Tact 40 

Condition of Film 41 

Checking Details ' 42 

Home Office Forms 42 

Handling Contracts 43 

Following up Cancellations 44 

Wildcat Handling 44 

Intensive Cultivation 45 

Correspondence 45 

Choosing Employees 46 

Choosing Salesmen 47 

Choosing Bookkeepers 48 

Choosing Shipping Clerks 48 

Handling Salesmen 48 

Training Salesmen 49 

Mistakes 49 

4 



Page 

Business Analysis 50 

Judgment 51 

Creative Ideas 53 

Foresight 53 

Helping Exhibitors Advertise 54 

Enthusiasm ; . . . 55 

Promptness 56 

Honest Dealings 56 

Proper Prices 56 

Building or Handling an Office 57 

SALESMEN 

Qualifications 60 

General Duties '. 60 

Salesmanship 61 

How to Sell Our Goods 61 

Honest Dealings 63 

Proper Selling 63 

Helping Exhibitors Advertise 64 

Co-operation with Exhibitors 64 

Planning Campaigns 65 

Enthusiasm 65 

Energy 66 

Analysis and Judgment 66 

Tact 67 

Salesmen's Reports 67 

Economical Expenditures 68 

BOOKKEEPERS 

Qualifications 71 

General Duties 71 

Bookkeeping Responsibility 72 

Accuracy 72 

Service to Customers 72 

Home Office Forms 72 

Bookkeepers' Liability 73 

Honesty 74 

Tact 74 

Co-operation 74 

Collections '. . 75 

Explanation of Forms 76 

SHIPPING CLERKS 

Qualifications 78 

General Duties 78 

Service to Customers 79 

Systematic Accuracy 79 

Daily Reminder 79 

Keeping Film in Order 80 

Keeping Advertising in Order 80 

Proper Arrangement of Stock 81 

Advertising Stock Records 81 

Express Connections 82 

Tact 82 

Shipping Forms 82 

BRANCH FORMS 

Use of Forms , 85 

Sales Forms 85 

Form 676, Notice of Contract 85 

5 



Papre 

Form 677, Notice of Cancellation 85 

Form 152, Brief of Contract 85 

Form 111, A & B, Booking Sheet 85 

Forms 105-106, Combination, Charge Ticket, Etc 86 

Form 113, Invoice 87 

Schedule of Division of Rentals 89 

Form 648, Abstract of Invoices 89 

Form \\2>y 2 , Deposits on Service Contracts 90 

Form 121, Part Payment Receipt 90 

Form 121, Overpayments and Advance Payments 90 

Form 649, Abstract of Collections 91 

Daily Library Report 92 

Form 131, List of Unpaid Invoices 92 

Form 684, Weekly Proof Accts., Receivable, Etc 92 

Proof of Deposits, Overpayments and Advance Payments 93 

Form 671, Petty Cash Account 93 

Form 670, Application of Deposits 94 

Form \Uy 2 , Credit Memo 95 

Branch Exchange Purchase Order 95 

Form 607, Perpetual Inventory, Etc 95 

Form 108, In and Out Book of Films 96 

Form 104, Shipping Notice 96 

Form 679, Exchange Shipping Notice 97 

Form 1 18, Requisition 97 

SAMPLE FORMS 

Form ID, Weekly Branch Report 99 

Form 7D, Unserved Prospect List 100 

Form 5D, Theatre Card 100 

Form 6D, Grouped Prospect List 101 

Form 4D, Salesman's Advance Route Sheet 102 

Form 2D, Daily Salesman's Report 102 

Form 680, Application for Service 103 

Form 681, Acceptance of Contract 103 

Form 676, Notice of Contract 104 

Form 677, Notice of Cancellation 104 

Form 152, Brief of Contract ' 104 

Form 105-106, Film Return, Advertising Return, Film Packing, Film Ship- 
ping, Advertising Packing, Advertising Shipping Slips 105 

Form 113, Invoice 106 

Form 649, Daily Abstract of Collections 107 

Form 648, Daily Abstract of Invoices 107 

Form \\Zy 2 , Credit Memo 108 

Form 121 , Part Payment Receipt 109 

Form 131, List of Unpaid Invoices 110 

Form 3D, Salesman's Expense Account Ill 

Form 684, Weekly Proof of Accts., Receivable. Etc Ill 

Form 671, Petty Cash Account 112 

Form 122, Petty Cash Voucher 112 

Form 112, Advance Expense Slip 113 

Form 670, Application of Deposits 113 

Form 669, Transmittal of Bad Debts 113 

Form 678. Branch Exchange Purchase Order 114 

Form 108, In and Out Book 115 

Form 118, Home Office Requisition 115 

Form 679. Exchange Shioping Record, Etc 116 

Form 104. Packing and Shipping Slip 117 

Form 128, Daily Library Report 118 

Form 607, Stock Book 119 

Form 605, Condemned Stock Report 120 

6 



Division Managers 



Qualifications 



General Duties 



Executive ability 
Sales development ability- 
Analytical ability 
Seasoned judgment 
Ability to choose and develop men 
Keen foresight 
Creative idea ability 
Thoroughness 
Correspondence ability 
Efficiency 
Enthusiasm 
Tact 
Honesty 

Conscientiousness 
Energy 
Ambition 
Confidence 
Stability 
Loyalty 

Knowledge of business 
Knowledge of territory 
Co-operative spirit 
Promptness 

Choosing and developing men 
Handling sales development work 
Planning sales campaigns 
Increasing branch business 
Increasing office efficiency 
Exercising judgment 
Advancing business-getting ideas • 
Ferreting out and developing weak spots 
Establishing business policies 
Checking local policies 
Backing up managers 
Directing handling of salesmen 
Injecting enthusiasm 
Checking outstandings 
Checking weekly expenditures 
Creating loyal spirit 
Personal contact with offices 



Division This company, working on close organization principles, has divided the 

q • United States into five divisions, and each division into five territories, with 

" a central branch for each territory. 

The five Division Managers are responsible to the Assistant General Man- 
ager in the Home Office for the operation and results of their divisions. 
The five branch managers are responsible to the Division Manager for the 
results and operations of their individual branches. 

.All matters are handled through the Division Manager, who is in the nature 
of a sales and general manager for his particular division, and is entirely 
responsible therefor. The responsibility rests upon him for his organization, 
the policies of his division and the general supervision thereof. 

The Division Manager's work consists largely of two phases — executive and 
sales. 

Under the executive head may be roughly classed the proper organization, 
as pertains to employees and the efficiency of their work, methods and their 
application, policies and their ultimate results. Probably one of the most 
important duties of the Division Manager is the employing of the proper 
men, since no methods, principles or lines of operation are good or can 
have any effect without the proper men to carry them out. Also involved 
is like organization of the individual branch to a point where the greatest 
co-operative work can be obtained in the branch and in the division, and 
the proper supervision of policies to insure the best possible operation of 
the individual branch. 

Under the general head of sales comes the complete sales development 
plan which has been inaugurated for this company by the Assistant Gen- 
eral Manager, and which is outlined in complete detail herewith — the plan- 
ning of campaigns, handling of men and the proper follow-up to insure the 
utmost results and the most careful application of the sales methods involved. 

Sales Sales Development work may be divided into two departments : 

Development L Saks by MaU 

2. Sales by Salesmen. 

Appended hereto is a structural outline of operation, the details to be obtained 
by reference to the same sections under the heading of "Branch Managers," 
except those transactions which must be actually operated by Division 
Managers. 

Sales by Mail (a) Every office should have an index file covering every theatre in the 

territory. 

(b) Each week a weekly branch report is made out by each office, as per 
sample form 1-D, shown in the supplemental list of forms attached hereto. 

This report, besides showing a summary of weekly business, lists each 
exhibitor served the past week, with details. Upon the Division Manager 
receiving this form he will have his secretary draw from the card file of that 
particular office the cards of customers served during the previous week, 
thus leaving in the drawer the cards of the customers not served during 
that week. 

The Division Manager will, of course, check up first to see that the cus- 
tomers have been served on the right basis and are being properly 



handled as to policy, price, advertising, etc. The most important considera- 
tion in this particular transaction, however, is the possibilities that were 
not served the past week. 

Following the withdrawal of cards served the week before, the Division 
Manager's secretary will make for that office a complete list of all customers 
not served by the office the week past, grouping the unserved prospects by 
population, as follows : 

1st group over 25,000 

2nd group from 10,000 to 25,000 

3rd group from 5,000 to 10.000 

4th group from 2,000 to 5.000 

5th group under 2,000 

as per sample form 7-D, shown in supplemental list of forms attached 
hereto. 

The Division Manager will not merely compile and forward this list to 
the branch manager, but will endeavor to suggest ways and means for get- 
ting some of the customers on it, bringing out. as much as possible, individual 
cases which the manager can follow up. 

For instance, one of our Division Managers has just forwarded us a list 
sent to one of his offices, wherein he has devoted about half a page to each 
account that he has called to the attention of the manager, he obtaining his 
information by looking up his past salesmen's reports for details, and no 
doubt deducing a great number of possibilities that the manager has over- 
looked, and offering suggestions for getting a number of customers on. 

(c) Upon receipt of list of unserved customers from the Division Manager, 
the manager or the development man in the individual branch will follow 
up by personal letter, every customer not served. 

(d) Every branch must have, as part of its equipment, a thirty-one day 
follow up or suspense file, in which all follow up matters must be placed 
and all development letters properly put ahead for follow up. 

Sales by (a) Every office must group its prospects by salesmen's routes or circuits on 

Salesmen form 6-D, as shown in supplemental list of forms attached hereto. 

(b) Routes must be checked to show served, competitive and unserved 
customers. 

(c) Salesmen must be routed systematically over these routes year in and 
year out. 

(d) Manager shall make up salesmen's advance route sheets, form 4-D. 

(e) Customers should be notified of salesmen's call in advance. 

(f) Salesmen must send in bookings and triplicate daily report, form 2-D. 

(g) Managers must acknowledge booking dates and write personal follow 
up letters from salesmen's report. 

(h) Follow up letters should be placed in suspense file and followed up 
regularly. 

10 



Collections Of almost equal importance to sales development, is collection of moneys 

due us, for we lose even more than the actual indebtedness, when we serve 
a customer and are not able to collect any money from him. 

Very strict consideration should be given to each customer when he is 
booked, as to his financial responsibility. This should particularly be im- 
pressed upon the manager by the Division Manager and upon the sales- 
men by the manager. 

A salesman in going into any city should, if necessary, inquire from outside 
parties if he is not familiar with the local situation, to ascertain who is the 
best and most reliable exhibitor in that city, the next best, etc., making 
his selection and booking, if possible, accordingly. 

In booking a man, he should in each case explain our system of "Cash in 
Advance" payment, and close very strictly in accordance therewith. This 
will be covered fully under salesmen's instructions. At the same time, the 
salesman should look up the financial standing and responsibility of the 
exhibitor booked. If it is questionable or if it is very bad, the booking should 
be made only upon the complete understanding of a C. O. D. basis, or not 
at all. 



Expenditures 



The manager, on receipt of bookings from salesmen, should insist that a 
C. O. D. basis be employed, unless the exhibitor is thoroughly reliable and 
a prompt payer. 

There should then be close co-operation in each office between the manager, 
bookkeeper and shipping department, relative to checking up the collections 
and keeping them down to a minimum. For instance, each day the shipping 
clerk should place before the bookkeeper all shipments to be made, so that 
the bookkeeper may ascertain whether or not that customer owes us any 
money, how long it has been due, etc. If the question arises as to whether 
the man should be C. O. D.'d, it should be put up to the manager for his 
judgment and final instructions. At no time should any exhibitor be more 
than one feature in arrears in his payment to us. 

At the present time we have quite a volume of outstanding accounts, because 
of just such laxity and failure to inaugurate these methods and principles. 
We also still have a few managers who apparently do not yet realize the 
value of prompt collections, and it becomes necessary for the Division 
Manager to check the weekly outstanding report in order to keep down 
the volume of outstanding accounts in each office. 

Our outstandings are also largely due to a feeling which some managers 
have that they must be lenient to keep in with their trade, but they should 
be properly impressed that any such methods of laxity, as a general rule, 
gain them no business, but in reality, hurt them in their business dealings 
with the men to whom they are lenient. 

Each week, as the outstanding lists come in, they should be carefully 
checked, and those accounts which are more than one week old, or to 
whom more than one feature has been sent without payment, should be 
called to the attention of the branch manager, with a recommendation for 
action. 

Each week the Division Manager receives from the branch a copy of the 
weekly cash account form, as shown by sample in supplemental list of forms 
attached hereto, covering all expenditures of that week. This should be 
carefully checked and suggestions made the branches for increased expendi- 
ture efficiency. We are just as vitally interested in the expenditures of 
your office as in the sales, as it is the net profit of any office which deter- 

11 



mines its worth to the company at the end of the year, and net profit means 
the total collections less money expended. 

The value of low expense was convincingly brought out in our annual 
report, where we had two or three offices doing several thousand dollars 
more business than neighboring offices, and still they showed less profit 
on account of far greater expenditures. It would therefore have been just 
as much to the interest of those particular offices to cut down a few hundred 
dollars in expenditures as it was to gain a few hundred dollars business. 

We at no time want economy practised in such a way that it will cut down our 
production work, and since it becomes necessary to quite often spend freely in 
sales work to get the business, it is best to economize in small things in other 
departments to make up for the expenditures along sales lines. 

For the most part, you will, no doubt, find that if expenditures along small lines 
are properly regarded, the big ones will take care of themselves, as the principle 
of economy will have been established and will,' no doubt, show its influence in 
other expenditures which are made. 

Efficiency demands economy, and economy means not buying anything which you 
do not need or can get along without, and not paying any more for an article 
than is absolutely necessary to obtain the results required. 

Economy can be practised along a number of lines, and the details of economical 
expenditures will be taken up and discussed under the heading of "Branch Man- 
agers." 

It is quite a striking example, however, that if each office in the United States 
would only save $10 per week, each week in the year, at the end of the year 
the World Film Corporation, as a whole, would have saved $12,000. There are 
quite a number of offices where a great deal more than $10 could be saved at the 
present, and it could probably be accomplished in almost every office by practising 
little economies. 

Business Coming now to the underlying principles of division work, business analysis 

A Ivs's must first be considered, as it is more or less the underlying factor of the best 

results in every phase of business. Very often the general reason for some men's 
failure to rise above the plane of mediocrity is because they have failed to prop- 
erly analyze their own methods and possibilities. 

Business analysis must be the underlying principle of a Division Manager's work; 
he must analyze his territory, his men, and the methods and results which are 
being obtained in both cases. 

Results and methods which have heretofore seemed good may be found exactly 
the contrary when carefully analyzed and the underlying principles rooted out. 

Men who may have appeared good to you because you have not closely 
analyzed their work may be far from it, and while obtaining results in one 
direction, may have been working far more harm in another direction, which 
you have probably overlooked. 

Methods which may appear to be getting certain results in your territory, and 
which look good to you on the surface, may be found, upon careful analysis, to 
be working bad results in a number of other lines far more important. 

Therefore, every Division Manager should carefully analyze himself, his work. 
methods, qualities and principles. He should also analyze his men, their work, 
methods, qualities and principles ; also the offices which are under him and their 

12 



conduct, the territory and its possibilities, policies of that territory and their 
ultimate results. 

Be an analyst. There is a reason for every good thing that was ever done, or 
ever will be done in the world, and you should know that reason before you 
take any action. If you cannot find a reason for what you are doing, it had 
better be left undone. If you know the reason, you can be assured that you are 
working intelligently. If you do not, you will be groping in the dark, and will 
probably bump your head before you get out. 

See that your men under you are analysts, and as they analyze their work and 
get at the root and basic principles of it, you will find them working, not alone 
more intelligently, but 100 per cent, more efficiently than they have ever labored 
before. 

Efficiency We have in the foregoing discussed the larger mechanical and daily operations 

of the division and branch office work, and we are now brought down to more 
general principles and specific incidental discussion of the division operation. 

Efficiency, of course, generally speaking, covers a wide field. In this instance, 
since we have gone over some of the other principles of our work, we will let it 
cover the general question of service. 

In order to create efficiency, the Division Manager himself must be efficient. He 
should know the principles of efficiency and practice them, and know how to instill 
these principles in those under him. In order to train the men under him along 
efficiency of detail operation, he must be capable of handling himself and know 
the value of detail work, and practice detail operation in his own handling of 
employees and their difficulties as they arise. 

Efficiency of judgment is developed through deep thought, analysis, and the appli- 
cation of common-sense principles. The question of judgment generally resolves 
itself about the final outcome of the proposition being considered, and its bearing 
upon the question. 

In other words, there are two ways to decide the question before you. It should 
be decided in the way which means most for the company in the long run, and as 
you see the final outcome of the action which you take. 

No question should be decided until you have so carefully analyzed and thought 
it out that you feel you do know what the outcome of your decision will be and 
what bearing it will have upon the company, and whether it will be for the best 
interests of the company in its final culmination. 

Efficiency, as a whole, generally follows concentration, application and method- 
ical operations. Every man should operate along efficiency lines, even if it may be 
in pleasure, for the reason that most can be obtained in life and in business 
through efficiency of action. 

Efficiency comes largely through practice, and if each Division Manager will him- 
self operate along the channels of least lost motion, perfection of detail, concen- 
tration upon the particular task; and the methodical application of his duties in 
such a way that he will accomplish most in the best way, in the least space of 
time, he will have established for himself a method of procedure which will 
unconsciously influence everything he does — his handling of methods and men, 
and the principles which he instils in his men. 

Every Division Manager should recognize that, for the most part, action, policies 
and principles of an organization reflect these same factors in the head of that 
organization or department, and if you establish for yourself efficiency along these 
lines, you will find it will be reflected through your entire division. As you 

13 



instil these same principles in your managers, they will instil them in their 
employees and in every department. This influence will reflect itself in 
every phase of our business. 

Choosing Division Managers are primarily concerned in the choosing of proper men to 

Managers conduct their offices. Since the manager is most likely to be hiring other em- 

ployees, the question of choosing salesmen and other branch employees will be 
considered under the heading of managers. 

In the choosing of any employee, he should be selected with a view to his qualifi- 
cation and fitness for the particular work which he is to do. There are certain 
requirements in every position, and these requirements should be held carefully 
before the employer when the possible employee is being interviewed, and he 
should be questioned with a view to ascertaining his ability along the lines 
desired. 

That is why there has been placed at the start of instructions for each depart- 
ment the requirements of employees of that department. 

The requirements may not be necessarily separately considered at any great 
length, but the qualifications in the man holding the position are necessary, either 
consciously or unconsciously, if he is to get the maximum results out of the 
office which he is managing. 

At the same time, the present employee whom they concern should hold them 
constantly in his own view, to determine if he is at all times living up to the 
requirements of his office, and to take steps to better himself if he is not. 

It has been found very practical, in considering a man for any position, whether 
he is being promoted from the ranks or is an outsider applying for the position, 
to place before yourself the requirements of that position and then question the 
man, propounding certain cases which probably have actually happened in your 
territory, with a view to ascertaining just what action the applicant for the 
position would take, and thereby getting some idea as to his qualifications. 

To get briefly before you a way that you can handle it, it might be suggested 
that the following qualifications be primarily considered in handling an 
applicant for a managerial position : 

Sales Development Ability. 

Executive Ability. 

Ability to choose and develop men. 

Judgment. 

Foresight. 

Creative Idea Ability. 

Efficiency. 

Honesty. 

Energy. 

Stablity. 

Ability to Analyze. 

These, for the most part, are the main principles required to the successful 
building of a manager, and lack of any one of which is liable to hinder the 
development of the office. 

Opposite each one of these qualifications, you can set a case which has 
actually happened in your division, outlining an example to the man, asking 
what he would have done under the circumstances. 

For instance : If you want to find out as to the man's executive ability, 
cite, as we did in the bulletin, the case of the Playhouse at Ridgewood, 

14 



where the Opera House manager came in and offered a little more money 
for the service. Cite the question, and ask him what he would have done 
under the circumstances. His answer will somewhat determine for you 
the man's judgment. 

He must understand, of course, if you are making a change, it is because 
the office to which he will go is probably run down and mismanaged. Find 
out from him what steps he would take to build up and develop the office. 
You can very readily judge from his answer whether he is a sales developer 
or an office clerk. 

Propound some simple question as to the handling of a certain case, the 
answer to which would determine the man's honesty in his dealings with 
customers. 

Careful consideration of these answers, with a little judgment on your part, 
can give you more or less of an accurate line on the man's principles and 
his ability. 

It will also be easy for you to ascertain, either by direct questioning or 
direct samples, as to whether the man is really staple in his work and would 
be permanent with us, or is merely a fly-by-night, looking for a little tem- 
porary position until he can get something else. 

In the course of conversation, you can also judge whether he has tact, 
whether he is conscientious in his dealings, and whether he has ambition 
to go ahead ; also whether he has the backbone to stand up under adverse 
conditions, whether he will be loyal ; whether he would be interested in 
obtaining an intimate knowledge of the business and territory ; whether 
he is polite and courteous ; whether he has personality or whether he is an 
enthusiast. 

No man should be chosen unless he has been considered with these quali- 
fications in front of you and is lacking in none of them, or you are sure. 
in your own mind that he can be developed in those qualifications in 
which he is lacking. 

Developing This brings us down to a point of diplomacy and handling men under you. 

Mid Handling This will be discussed fully under the head of "Branch Managers," and 

vj briefly here, as it affects your work with the managers. 

Our policy is the promotion system wherever possible. That is, filling 
higher positions from our own ranks, as this not alone gives us a really 
better man, trained by our own methods, familiar with our business and 
ways of doing business, and a man whom we have had a chance to study 
and to satisfy ourselves as to whether he can hold the office, but even the 
smallest employee in our concern has the incentive which places them 
beyond the mechanical class. There is always that incentive which spurs 
them on to far greater effort in their work than is possible to be obtained 
with mere mechanical employees who work for a salary check at the end 
of each week. 

Developing and handling men is an accomplishment of its own, and requires 
deep insight into the human element, which can only be obtained through 
study, analysis and experience. 

It is hardly possible that you will get any man under you at any time who 
is perfect. You may get a man who is a diamond in the rough, but who 
will have to be developed. For the most part, you will find your men either 
with all the qualities, but not fully developed, or men who are short in some 
one or the other direction. 

15 



It then is up to the Division Manager to train this man in the particular 
direction of his shortcoming. If the man is lacking in some qualification, 
the Division Manager must take particular care to build him up along that 
line. 

Division Managers should very carefully consider the qualities of each 
manager under him, his shortcomings, his good qualities, and how best they 
can be developed. At the same time, every Division Manager should fully 
take into consideration that he himself may be lacking in the same details, 
that he may have misjudged the man, or that the personality of the man 
in question may be influencing his judgment. 

For the most part, good men are best handled by co-operation, encouraging 
and backing along the right lines. It may be that there are some men wl\o 
must be more or less ruled with an iron hand, but generally such men will 
probably sooner or later be found not the best that can be obtained for their 
positions. 

The right man with the right principle is the one who wants to go ahead 
and improve, and in this day and age of the world, men are quite willing 
to work along honest, conscientious lines, for that general improvement and 
advancement. 

Encouragement is a great factor in the development of men. However, 
it has never been found a good practice to do nothing but effuse over a 
man's work, for sooner or later, that man comes to know that you do nothing 
but praise, and he looks upon it as characteristic and meaningless flattery. 

When a man is wrong, his error should be properly pointed out to him 
in an instructive way ; but when he is right, you should never hesitate about 
letting him know that he is right and that he did a good thing. Many men 
will do things for encouragement that they would hardly consider doing for 
money. The only caution to be observed is that a Division Manager should 
not go too far in praising a man for his work. 

Fair, reliable, straightforward, open and conscientious dealings with the 
men under you will unquestionably, at all times, be found most effective, 
and you should make your men understand from the start that such is your 
method of operation in the future. 

Backing up Almost in line with handling and development of men, is the proper backing 

Managers "P °* ^ e managers under you. 

Every Division Manager has under him five managers. Every manager has 
his problems and difficulties to overcome. Even the strongest of us may 
become discouraged, if these difficulties become so heavy that we cannot 
,see our way out. 

At the same time, there is probably nothing that gives quite so much 
confidence to some men, as the weight of numbers, and certainly nothing 
can be better calculated to encourage a man, than the knowledge that he has back 
of him, and continually working with him, a Division Manager who is for 
and with him. Every Division Manager should instil that feeling in each 
one of his managers. 

He should encourage his managers to bring their problems to him. He should 
instruct his managers to put up to him questions of unusual judgment which 
might not easily be decided alone. This can best be encouraged by real 
backing up of the men when they do place these things before you. Do 
not merely make a statement that you want them to do it, and then belie 

16 



the statement by not giving them the proper co-operation when they do 
come before you. Encourage even the simplest quests for aid. Remember 
that you are there to help, build and teach. It is your division. It is your 
showing that will be taken into consideration in reckoning with that division. 
Therefore, it is to your interest to build up, aid, develop and improve where- 
ever it is possible. 

A striking example of this was found recently in one of our offices by a Division 
Manager who had not visited that office for nearly three months. In the rush 
of his work he had not scented discouragement which had crept into and was 
prevailing in that office. The employees had lost faith in the pictures, faith in 
the office and the territory, and both the manager and the salesmen either wanted 
to quit or be transferred. 

If this Division Manager had been more observant, had kept in closer touch 
with that office, he would have ascertained this long before. As it was, he started 
then and there to build up that which they had lost, and before he left he had 
placed in every employee a fire of enthusiasm, a spirit of confidence and a new 
lease on life that left them plugging harder than they ever did before, and 
consequent results soon began to tell. 

This is liable to happen in any office and best represents the advantages to be 
obtained in properly backing up every manager in every one of your offices. 
A booster letter will often have a widespread effect. 

Sometimes Division Managers can go even further in backing up their managers, 
by giving them practical assistance. 

it has often been found to advantage, where managers have not been able to 
land a certain big account or a certain stubborn account, for the Division Man- 
ager to write a letter or get in personal touch with that exhibitor. 

Coming from a higher source, this is naturally more impressive and is apt to 
get closer attention. The Division Manager may be able to cover certain ground 
that the local manager or salesman has missed. 

One Division Manager has even gone so far as to take like action in collection 

matters which the Branch Manager feels it is impossible for him to go 
further with ; and again, coming from this higher source, and put up in the 
right light, proper results have been obtained. 

Creative Ideas The Division Manager should be ever on the alert to see new opportunities and 

to devise new ways, means and ideas for developing business. 

The Division Manager should not be satisfied unless he has created during the 
day some new idea for increasing business or improving the efficiency of his 
offices. Not alone does this provide a means for increasing the returns of the 

office, but it develops in a man a creative faculty which, after a certain period 
of time, unconsciously develops his mind and his mental activities to a point 
where his ideas flow naturally and freely to where he gains a keener foresight, is 
more alert to grasp situations, and can handle them more intelligently when they 
do arise. 

* 

It becomes to a certain measure the result of habit to that man who sits idly 
in his office, only taking care of details, such as a clerk might, never creating ideas. 
His work is handled mechanically, and mediocre results quickly evidence them- 
selves, not alone in his work, but in the work of the employees under him. 

In the case of the man who has trained himself to develop ideas, his work is 
handled in a more advanced way, more intelligently and with greater and cor- 
respondingly increasing results from day to day. 

17 



Division 
Co-operation 



Planning Sales 
Campaigns 



Ideas are constantly forwarded to Division Managers through circular letters 
and through the bulletin. These ideas have been carefully thought out for the 
general advancement or improvement of business conditions of the offices through- 
out the country. However, these ideas, which must cover such a wide scope, may 
have to be more or less general. 

It is expected that the Division Manager, upon receipt of them, will not be satis- 
fied merely to transmit the rough ideas outlined, but that he will in turn elaborate 
the ideas and apply them in a practical way to his own territory, and possibly 
better them or create new ideas, which they can transmit to their offices in 
practical form for application. The Branch Manager in turn should develop 
further ideas along similar lines. 

Creative idea ability is probably one of the most valuable assets that any man can 
have. In everything that is done, it is generally an unusual idea which has finally 
won. Your branch managers may be a little shy along this particular line. They 
may neglect it at times on account of being weighed down with other details, and 
because they do not have a wide range of experience, which you have in the 
handling of five offices, and you must, therefore, do much of it for them while 
endeavoring to train their faculties to the same degree of perfection as your own. 

Co-operation is the life of any business, and it has been practically demonstrated 
that it is particularly valuable in your division work. 

There should be fostered among all managers and all branches the feeling that 
your division is one big family, an offspring of the parent, Home Office. 

Branch Managers should be inclined to help each other wherever possible. Ideas 
should be exchanged back and forth. Mistakes should be brought to light to 
ward others off. 

You are particularly fitted in your position to help the offices in their work as a 
whole, by a proper co-operative spirit in your division. 

Where one manager gets the experience of only one office and one territory, 
you are in close touch with five offices, have the benefit and value of their expe- 
rience, their accomplishments, good features, results, errors and shortcomings. 

Branch Managers should be encouraged to exchange ideas through you, to be 
passed by you to other managers for the betterment of their particular office. 
They should be impressed with the fact that whenever they build some other 
part of our business they build themselves, for as our business grows our em- 
ployees must grow with it, and as we prosper, they also will prosper. 

If help is needed in the matter of prints, offices should co-operate in every way 
possible, even if the manager who gives the help may be somewhat inconvenienced 
for the time being, and a like spirit observed in any other transaction which may 
come up in the course of division operations. 

With the right kind of co-operative spirit in the division, it becomes easier for 
the Division Manager, who is in reality sales manager for his particular terri- 
tory, to plan and execute a uniform sales campaign for his entire division. This 
is one of the most important duties of the Division Manager, and should have 
very careful consideration and handling at all times. 

We have already had in this company a most striking example of what is caused 
,through lack of appreciation of a sales campaign, in the mishandling of the single- 
reel comedies. 



The Division Manager, when a new service is to be inaugurated, when a new 
policy is introduced, should prepare this in as great detail as possible, and he 

18 



should be able to practically apply this policy or service to the entire territory. 
He should be thoroughly familiar with all the details before anything is done. 
Then he should outline a definite sales plan. Every phase of the situation should 
be covered, and practical instructions outlining every phase of the proposition 
should be compiled and forwarded at the time the matter is put up to the individ- 
ual branch manager. 

No action should be taken until all plans are completed, and the Division Man- 
ager should be quite sure, in completing his plans, that they are practical and will 
be productive of the utmost results, before he inaugurates the campaign at all. 
If he feels somewhat uncertain, he should go so far as to discuss it tentatively 
with his branch managers, and ask for suggestions, or take it up further with 
the Home Office for consideration, so that, when it once is started, he may 
be sure it is right and will obtain results. 

In any commercial line, no real good sales manager will think of taking on a 
new line or a new product without mapping out a campaign for its sale in the 
greatest detail. This generally is presented to you by the Home Office, and should 
be locally applied and perfected. 

An example of what is possible is best exemplified by our general 
outline of a sales campaign for Equitable releases during the last Divi- 
sion Managers' Meeting, in which we first considered our possibilities, 
and then mapped out a campaign covering the United States for handling 
them with the maximum results, later covering individual points and circum- 
stances which might arise, policies concerning the sale of Equitable features 
and every detail of handling them, with the result that we will be in a 
position to handle Equitable releases with the greatest efficiency and maxi- 
mum results, from the minute they are placed before us. 

Whether it is in planning sales campaigns, submitting general policies or 
anything else, the Division Manager should not ask any manager or anyone 
else to do anything which he cannot do himself, neither should he advance 
any idea without analyzing it to see that it is practical and right. 

Remember, you should be better fitted in every way to apply these ideas 
than the manager who is under you, and if you cannot do it, how can you 
expect him to do it? 

Therefore, the Home Office endeavors never to submit a policy or campaign 
to you without practical application, and you in turn should never submit 
it to your managers or require them to take any action which you cannot 
practically apply to their individual cases. 

Many men are full of ideas, but are not good analysts nor practical applyers 
of these ideas. Therefore, their value is negligible, as no ideas are good 
unless susceptible of analysis and application. Application of ideas generally 
prove their merit and value. 

Developing The Division Manager must be able to ferret out and develop weak sales' 

Weak Sales spots or weak operating spots in the offices under him. This can only 

be done by very careful analysis of the territory under consideration and its 
possibilities. 

Very often the branch manager does not himself see the spots wherein 
his business is weak, largely through failure to analyze his own territory. 
This weakness may cover general principles, or it may cover certain localities 
served out of his office. In any case, it becomes the duty of the Division 
Manager to determine and discover these weak spots and take steps to cor- 
rect them. 

19 



Spots 



Personal 

Contact 

with Offices 



Supervising 
Local Policies 



Checking 

Detail 

Operations 



The Division Manager must be able to see opportunities which the branch 
manager, possibly somewhat in a rut, or unable to struggle out of certain 
details, has missed, and the Division Manager must be able to find this 
sore spot, prescribe and apply a remedy which will correct it. 

The remedy is simple. It is simply the sales and business methods which 
have already been outlined and are outlined under the heading of "Branch 
Managers." 

The bad condition has unquestionably arisen through failure of the branch 
manager to consciously follow out some phase or detail of this systematic 
handling. 

It is necessary and desirable that the Division Manager personally visit 
his various branches as often and as regularly as practical. It is only 
through personal touch that the man can be handled to the best advantage, 
that operations of the territory can be accurately followed, that the methods 
and conduct of your offices can be properly checked and improved, and the 
policies employed properly supervised. 

The Division Manager should, in his correspondence with his offices, and 
particularly upon his personal visits, watch carefully the judgment which 
the manager exercises locally and the judgment which he is exercising in 
handling certain situations or general operations. 

We have had some very striking examples of where offices have been almost 
wrecked by certain managers, on account of the failure of the Division 
Manager or a Home Office representative to call there in three or four 
months. 

A manager can do much harm by adopting an antagonistic attitude, a strong 
arm attitude, by taking a certain stand on price or service, or, in fact, by 
operating along quite a number of lines, which will so antagonize or destroy 
the prestige and business of that office with customers, that before we can 
get there to personally check it our business has not alone dropped to an 
alarming degree, but we are in bad repute with a great number of exhibitors, 
and it requires much time and money to build our business back to the point 
where it belongs. 

Also, without personal touch, or without your requiring managers to fully 
submit to you any big questions for judgment, it is quite easy for a branch 
manager to enter into a contract or adopt a certain policy which may be 
quite harmful to the company later on. 

Very often a branch manager may feel sure that a certain action is justified, 
whereas, the better judgment of the cool and unbiased Division Manager 
quite clearly indicates that some entirely different course should be followed. 

We have had a case, for instance, where a first run account in a big exchange 
city, which should ordinarily pay around $300, is now being served at $10 
through the hasty action of a branch manager, whereas, undoubtedly, proper 
supervision by the Division Manager would have brought about a more 
happy and beneficial conclusion of the transaction. 

Upon these personal visits to the branches, the Division Manager should 
as carefully as possible check over all detail operations of both the office work and 
the sales development work, and this brings up the necessity for the Division 
Manager to know intimately every detail operation of the company, both from a 
mechanical and sales standpoint. 

The Division Manager is a sort of court of last resort for anything which may 
come up in any office. He should know forms, methods of operation, general pro- 

20 



Reporte on 

Branches 



Developing a 

Run Down 

Office 



cedure, so thoroughly and intelligently that he can instruct or help anyone in 
any department along any line they might wish. 

He should then, upon entering any office, check the various departments, to make 
sure that they are being operated along the right lines. This, of course, should 
never be done until the sales development work has first been considered and 
taken care of. 

Considerable time should be spent in ascertaining whether or not the work is 
being carried on along the right lines and the best possible results obtained, 
and the best possible service given to customers. 

If the Division Manager does not know these details, and is not familiar with 
the working operation of the company, he is not in a position to properly check 
and give assistance on these matters. 

When a Division Manager has thoroughly gone over the office which he is visit- 
ing, he should make a careful and detailed report to the Assistant General Man- 
ager, at the Home Office, upon the condition of that office, as a whole, as he 
found it, as to just how sales development work is followed up, general efficiency 
which has been obtained, and a few words as to the merits of the various em- 
ployees, as well as a forecast of future business possibilities. 

This is made necessary from the fact that under the present handling of the 
offices, through the five Division Managers, the Home Office does not come in 
close personal touch with the branches, as it otherwise would, and it is only such 
a close, detailed report which keeps it in touch with the office, its operation and 
employees. 

Where an office has become run down there are generally two reasons — lack of 

sales development work, and generally improper handling on the part of the 
branch manager. This latter may cover a multitude of sins. 

It may mean that the branch manager has adopted the wrong attitude toward 
exhibitors, and has been antagonistic. He may have adopted the wrong policies 
for his territory — either too high prices, too low prices, or many other faults 
might arise. Maybe an inefficient office force has given poor service, thereby 
creating an ill feeling or dissatisfaction amongst the exhibitors. Maybe the office 
generally is in a slip-shod condition, with careless, arbitrary employees and no 
system of any kind. 

Naturally such conditions are disquieting, but not most important, nor the first 
thing to be considered. 

The first and most important action to be taken is with reference to the installa- 
tion of proper sales development work, since that is the basis of the income of 
the office. 

Once sales development work is properly started, results continue rolling in with 
any sort of handling, and while these results are coming in the Division Manager 
may then turn his attention to the proper organization of the office. 

In the former absence of sales development work, the development of the terri- 
tory generally may have been so lax that there may be a number of glaring 
individual cases, which, taken separately, would be enough to discourage the 
average man, or keep him flitting around for days. Therefore, it might be wise 
to only consider the territory as a whole, and the general principles of sales devel- 
opment at first. 

In accordance with the outline of the proper handling of an office, the prospects 
of that particular office should be grouped and marked off to ascertain the un- 

21 



served possibilities. Salesmen should be routed systematically over these routes, 
and they should work with personal letters ahead of them. 

The last Division Manager's unserved prospect list should be taken up, and indi- 
vidual and personal letter work started with every customer not on our books. 

Reports and bookings will then be coming in from the salesmen, which will 
naturally be followed up, and they in their simple way start an actual flow of 
sales work, which must continue, while you are organizing the office. 

If, once you have started the general development of your entire territory, certain 
big accounts and certain questions come up which should be met with individual 
and deep consideration, you can then turn your concentrated attention to these 
individual cases and work out some plan for their correction. This can be done 
at the same time you are starting your office reorganization, which now comes 
naturally in line, and is accomplished while the sales development work you 
have already started is showing its effect. 

If the employees of the office are not efficient, replace them as rapidly as possible. 
If the work is improperly divided, it should be rearranged. If the proper sys- 
tems are not in use, they should be installed as rapidly as possible. 

It is up to the Division Manager to ferret out and determine just where the faults 
lie, and correct them as rapidly as it is possible to so do. 

You will probably find that within a comparatively short space of time you will 
have corrected the very faults which have been holding the office back, by the 
mere analysis of the underlying faults of the office and the correction of these 
underlying faults, whatever they may be. 

After you have gone into that office and installed the principles and methods 
of operation, which are outlined under the heading of "Branch Managers," the 
results must be maximum returns from that particular territory and office. 

Installing Great care should be taken in installing a branch manager, to be sure he is prop- 

Branch er ty started out in his work. Proper start is half the battle in anything, and 

x* a new man should be carefully instructed and advised as to the general policies 

anagers ^ ^ company, the definite handling of that branch and branch work, and 

the various policies involved in the handling of our offices by the branch manager. 

Particularly important is the proper direct backing up of that branch manager 
for a certain period of time after you have installed him, especially if the man 
is new in managerial work. 

Nine cases out of ten, the man is new to the territory he is going into, and prob- 
ably, being new, he will not only face many unusual local situations, which are 
different from any he has met before, but a great number of discouragements 
will, no doubt, arise to generally shake his handling of the office as a whole. 

If you are there to back him up, to decide questions for him which he is hesitant 
to decide for himself, to season his judgment where it might be weak, to encour- 
age him where discouragement might break him down, to generally help him in 
any situation which might arise, you will not only be sure that he is started out on 
the right track and with a right foundation, but will, no doubt, have saved him 
from losing a great deal of confidence, which is necessary to his success ; and 
you will also have saved that office undoubtedly a great many dollars in wrong 
handling and judgment, which might otherwise be exercised. 

Therefore, it is desirable for a Division Manager who installs a new manager 

22 



Standardization 
of Offices 



to spend a week or more with him after installing him, or arrange to get back 
for a few days shortly thereafter. 

When installing a new branch manager, it is desirable to notify the Home Office 
sufficiently in advance, so that we can arrange to have a traveling auditor there 
at the same time. This will take away from the Division Manager a great deal 
of the detail work and responsibility incident to such a change. The auditor can 
be checking up and going over detail work of every department, and also be of 
material aid to the new man in the handling of forms and instruction on office 
operation, and make sure that the work is being done right in every particular. 

Every office in the United States and every department in each office, should 
be standardized. Certain methods of doing business have been outlined, 
and certain forms have been provided for each operation. There is no reason, 
then, why one office should not be using some of these forms, or using 
different forms. 



Weekly 
Meetings 

Division 

Manager's 

Office 



If any manager or Division Manager has an idea for a form and it is good, it 
should be applied throughout the United States ; and if it is not good enough for 
the entire United States, or is not better than the form we have, there is no 
reason for its use, as it not only entails added expense, but puts into practice 
a different method of operation, which would not be understood by a new man 
coming in to handle the work. 

Therefore, any time a branch manager desires to install a new form, it should 
first be submitted to the Division Manager and then to the Home Office, so that 
it may either be taken up all over the United States or rejected. 

Every office should be so handled and so organized that any man, from any part 
of the United States, who has never seen that territory previously, can go in 
and handle that office and every department of it smoothly, intelligently and accu- 
rately, in accordance with the requirements of the company. 

See to it that your offices are all standardized in accordance with the requirements, 
policies and business methods of the Home Office. 

Encourage and see that weekly meetings are held in each office. This subject 
is discussed at length under the head of "Branch Managers." 

With the part which the Division Manager plays in the present organization, it is 
quite essential that each Division Manager have a secretary, and that he care- 
fully watch the handling of the details which pass through him. 

At this time, practically all forms come to the Division Manager for O. K. before 
they are passed. All purchase orders, credit memorandums, applications for de- 
posit, contracts and cancellations come to the Division Manager for his O. K. 
If he O. K.'s them, this is sufficient authority for the Home Office, from a sales 
standpoint, to pass the transaction in question. 

In the matter of contracts, cancellations, etc., if these are approved by the Divi- 
sion Manager, they are to be sent into the Home Office by him, records, of course, 
being kept in the Division Manager's office. 

Credit memorandums, if approved, are to be returned to the branches, where 
they are abstracted and then returned to the Home Office. If they are not ap- 
proved, the branch should not abstract them, but make a further endeavor toward 
settlement, according to the Division Manager's instructions. 



23 



Applications for deposit, when approved by the Division Manager, are to be 
sent direct to the Home Office, which will approve them from an auditing stand- 
point before they are returned to the branch for abstraction. 

On purchase orders, both the original and the Home Office copies are sent for 
approval to the Division Manager, who will O. K. them, forwarding the Home 
Office copy to the Home Office, and return the original to the branch for forward- 
ing to the supplier. If not approved, both copies will be voided and returned to 
the branch. 

These general detail matters of operation should be very carefully watched in 
each office, and handled accordingly, in order to avoid any confusion either in 
the branch or in the Home Office. 

It is further necessary that, generally, approval be obtained from the Division 
Manager for any hiring or releasing of employees, or any increases in salary. 
Particularly will we not pass any increase in salary except with the approval of 
the Division Manager. 

Since this is all left up to the Division Manager, he should be quite careful to 
notify the Home Office as to all increases and changes of employees, so that 
proper records may be kept at this point. 



24 



Branch Managers 



Qualifications 



General Duties 



Executive ability- 
Sales development ability 
Analytical ability 
Seasoned judgment 
Ability to choose and develop men 
Keen foresight 
Creative idea ability 
Correspondence ability 
Efficiency 
Enthusiasm 
Personality 
Tact 
Honesty 

Conscientiousness 
Energy 
Ambition 
Confidence 
Stability 
Loyalty 

Knowledge of business 
Knowledge of territory 
Advertising ability 
Co-operative spirit 
Promptness 
Politeness and courtesy 

Choosing and developing men 

Handling sales development work 

Planning sales campaigns 

Increasing branch business 

Exercising judgment 

Ferreting out and developing weak spots 

Increasing office efficiency 

Organizing branch departments 

Establishing service to customers 

Co-operating with exhibitors 

Advancing business getting-ideas 

Handling salesmen 

Checking outstandings 

Checking economy of branch expenditures 

Creating loyal co-operative spirit 

Following Home Office instructions 

Injecting local enthusiasm 

Checking details 



26 



Branch Branch operation may be broadly divided into three departments — sales, account 

Operation in S> and shipping. 

Sales work covers everything involved in securing the customer's business. 

Accounting work involves everything covering the billing of that business and 
the expense operation of the branch. 

Shipping work covers everything involved in giving to that customer the busi- 
ness for which he has contracted, and complete service in connection therewith. 

The branch manager's supervision of the departments and his responsibility for 
the individual operations and results of each, and the office as a whole, therefore 
places him in a position where he must so direct each department and its opera- 
tion, employ such men and so supervise their work that the best results will be 
obtained in every instance. 

The most important element of branch operation is sales and sales development 
work. 

Sales Sales development consists of increasing the business of your office until the 

Development maximum possibilities of that particular territory are being obtained. 

It consists roughly of determining the possible maximum business of that terri- 
tory, so grouping the prospects that they can be individually considered and 
handled, taking the proper sales steps to take on all available accounts not already 
served, and giving such service and co-operation as to retain the business once it 
is put on. 

Sales development proper can be generally divided into two sections : 

1. Sales by Mail. 

2. Sales by Salesmen. 

Sales by Mail (a) Every office should have a standardized 3x5 card index file, covering every 

exhibitor in its territory. This index file should be divided into two groups ; 
one covering contract prospects, and the other covering wildcat possibilities. 

Each card should contain the following information : City, population, number 
of theatres in city, theatre, owner, seating capacity, contract price quoted, wild- 
cat price quoted. 

This card is designated form 5-D, and is shown in the supplemental list of forms 
attached hereto. 

(b) Each week a weekly branch report is made out by each branch, as per sample 
form 1-D, shown in the supplemental list of forms attached hereto. 

This report, besides showing a summary of weekly business, lists each exhibitor 
served the past week, with details. Upon the Division Manager receiving this 
form, he will have his secretary draw from the card file of that particular office 
the cards of customers served during the previous week, thus leaving in the 
drawer the cards of the customers not served during that week. 

The Division Manager will, of course, check up first to see that the customers 
have been served on the right basis and are being properly handled as to policy, 

27 



price, advertising, etc. The most important consideration in this particular 
transaction, however, is the possibilities that were not served the past week. 

Following the withdrawal of cards served the week before, the Division Man- 
ager's secretary will make for that office a complete list of all customers not served 
by the office the week past, grouping the unserved prospects by population, as 
follows : 

1st group over 25,000 
2nd group from 10,000 to 25,000 
3rd group from 5,000 to 10,000 
4th group from 2,000 to 5,000 
5th group under 2,000, 



as per sample form 7-D, shown in supplemental list of forms attached hereto. 

(c) Upon receipt of this unserved customer list in the branch office, it will be 
carefully gone over by the manager, or his assistant, whose particular duty with 
us is sales development work. 

If an office carries a sales developer, his entire duty should be sales development 
work. That is, following up unserved customers, handling the salesmen, etc., 
leaving the manager free to his managerial duties, the handling of the office, 
all other correspondence and sales work, etc. 

If there is no sales developer in the office, the manager should, as nearly as pos- 
sible, devote half of his time to routine managerial work and half to sales develop- 
ment work. 



The plan of working this list is that each customer which was unserved by that 
particular office last week should hear from the office either by salesman, letter, 
telephone, wire, or some other means. It involves the old principle of continually 
hammering in one spot until the result desired is obtained. Also it is intended 
that those prospects be followed up, not by circular letter, but by a personal, 
individual letter, offering a concrete proposition and covering the requirements of 
the particular theatre under consideration. 

If the list is so long that it cannot be covered in a week, two weeks should be 
taken, or three weeks, or whatever time is necessary. Either the most probable 
account should be picked out and gone over first, and so on down the line, or 
the sales development man should start at the head of the list and keep plugging 
straight through until he has completed it, checking off the individual house as he 
covers it. Just as many should be covered each day as the sales development man 
can cover with individual personal letters. It is better to cover fewer prospects, 
and cover them effectively and completely, than to cover a great quantity in a 
less specific way. 

The number to be covered rests entirely upon the ability of the man to concen- 
trate himself upon the particular house and to dictate letters which will fully and 
concretely cover its requirements. 

Under no consideration should they be gone over in a slip-shod fashion, nor 
should the letter be couched in generalities. 

28 



(d) Every office, both for mail sales and for following up the salesmen's report, 
should have a general follow-up or suspense file, composed of a regular filing 
drawer, with an index of the thirty-one days of the month and each month of 
the year. 

When a letter has been written which requires an answer, or which should be 
followed up, it should be placed ahead in the suspense file under the date when 
the answer should be received, or it should be followed up. 

In the instance of mail sales work, in most territories, replies should be received 
from customers in about four days or a week. 

If we set a standard of one week, and you have written a customer from your 
prospect list on Tuesday, the 1st, this letter should be placed ahead to Tuesday, 
the 8th, for following up at that time. If your customer has not replied as 
he should upon the 8th, the letter should be taken out and a second letter written 
the customer, giving him further points and putting up further convincing argu- 
ments than you did in the first letter. Both letters should then be placed ahead 
to Tuesday, the 15th. If upon Tuesday, the 15th, the customer still has not 
been heard from, he should be followed up for the third time, and the letter placed 
ahead to Tuesday, the 22nd. If upon Tuesday, the 22nd, the customer has not 
been heard from, the letter should be taken out and a final letter sent, while care- 
ful consideration of the case should be given by the development man with the 
manager. 

Evidently there has been some reason for our failure to appeal. Probably our 
policy has been wrong, our price too high, we have been following the wrong line 
of argument, we have put up the wrong service, or some reason of this kind 
must be present. It then becomes necessary for us to carefully ferret out this 
reason, and either determine to send a salesman to the account personally, or start 
a new set of correspondence with him along entirely different lines, with a differ- 
ent proposition from any that we have put up before. 

bales by (a) In considering the possibilities of any office, in order to determine the actual 

Salesmen maximum possibilities not being served at present, and to efficiently route your 

salesmen, it becomes necessary to so group your prospects into such units that 
they can be concretely, individually and conveniently handled. 

This is really an action which covers the consideration of all sales development 
work, and is useful in connection with a mail sales campaign, as well as a sales- 
men's campaign. 

It is taken up in connection with salesmen for the simple reason that it lends itself 
very readily to the combination with efficient salesmen's routes, thereby combining 
the two operations. 

In grouping your prospects into such units that they can be handled, it will be 
found practical ,and convenient in each office to group them by the exact routes 
which the salesmen cover, as they take them. 

If a salesman is routed efficiently, his line of operation will either lie along cer- 
tain railroads or in certain sections of the country where the greatest number of 
towns can be made close together with the least expenditure of time and money. 

Very often they lie along circuits, if circuiting is being done in that particular 

29 



office. It, therefore, becomes convenient, as the customers lie in units more or 
less, to judge of how well you are served, or the possibilities in that particular 
unit. 

When the prospects of your entire branch territory have been divided off into such 
groups or units, the manager should then go over each unit and carefully mark 
the customers which are served or unserved, probably marking the contract cus- 
tomers with "c," the wildcat customers with "w," and checking off with "x" 
those exhibitors which are in such close competition to our present exhibitors that 
they cannot be taken on, or those exhibitors which for any peculiar reason the 
manager knows it will be a waste of time to see. However, the manager should 
De very careful not to check off any one who is at all a possibility. 

This, then, leaves open and unchecked all the exhibitors in that territory who 
are not upon our books and who should be, and can be put there ; or, in other 
words, the actual possibilities and probabilities of that territory. It can, there- 
fore, be seen at a glance whether we are well served or poorly served and rep- 
resented on that particular route, indicating which routes need our most atten- 
tion or our least attention, and telling us at a glance where we can best put in our 
time to the most profit with the least waste on impossibilities. 

A sample form of grouped prospect lists is attached hereto in our supplemental 
list of forms, and is marked form 6-D. 

It is made up in such a way, with short fly-leaves, that it can be combined in 
checking up the salesmen's daily reports as he goes over the various routes, year 
in and year out. Every leaf, each time a salesman makes route, should have 
information on it from the salesman's route which can be quickly copied on after 
•the exhibitor, so that the information concerning that exhibitor can be kept up 
to date, and his standing as to being served or not served can also be kept accu- 
rate at all times, giving our lists 100 per cent, reliability, as far as possibilities 
•and impossibilities are concerned. It is obvious that we do not want our sales- 
men to waste time on those customers which it is impossible to do any booking 
with, while they will save a lot of time by just calling on the customers who are 
really possibilities. 

(c) Salesmen should be efficiently routed at all times, and this is another value 
of the grouped prospect list, which has previously been pointed out as having been 
grouped along railroads, or in certain unit sections where the salesmen may move 
trom city to city, making as many cities as possible in the least space of time 
and with the least expenditure of money. 

While it becomes necessary to sometimes deviate from the routes as the occasion 
demands, for the most part it is a far better practice to as nearly as possible 
pstablish these routes, and have the salesmen systematically travel over them year 
in and year out. This is a practice which has proven practical in almost every 
other line of merchandising. 

If it is necessary to deviate at times, the methodical routing should be gotten 
back to as quickly as possible. 

This also involves the same principle as our follow-up mail sales campaign — 
that of continually hammering at one spot methodically until it falls. Also, this 
gives us the value of knowing that we are systematically entering every town 
•in our territory at stated intervals, instead of covering certain points frequently, 
and probably some other towns not at all, because they have slipped our mind 
and we have no method of checking up, unless we follow our methodical routes. 

These routes, being grouped as they are, always provide the next route for the 

30 



salesman before he gets off his present route, and the route may be relied upon 
as nearly efficient as it is possible to make it. 

(d) Before sending out a salesman, his route should be carefully compiled for 
him, covering the towns he will visit, with the theatres therein, the dates he will 
approximately reach each town, and full and complete information as to the 
theatres to be covered, also any dealings we may have had with them. 

This is made up on form 4-D, shown in the supplemental list of forms attached 
hereto, and should carefully cover the most complete information, the most minor 
details, as to any transactions or relationship with the exhibitor whom the sales- 
man is to see. 

It is very important to co-operate with and pave the way for your salesmen, as 
they are a great part of the life of your business. 

Very often it may be deemed desirable for the salesman to discuss or make col- 
lection, or some particular proposition made by the manager. If there has been 
any trouble with the exhibitor, if any questions have arisen whatsoever, they 
should be outlined in this salesman's advance sheet, so that he will be fully 
prepared to meet the situation before it is put up to him by the exhibitor, and 
so that he will be completely aware of the details and circumstances of the case. 

If possible, it is often desirable for the salesman to go to the correspondence file 
and look over the correspondence we have had with the exhibitor upon whom 
he will call before he leaves the office. 

(e) The salesman's routes should be gotten up as far as possible in advance of 
his leaving the office ; and prior to his departure, each customer should be noti- 
fied by a personal, individual letter of the approximate time and date the sales- 
man will call upon him to go over our proposition, asking that exhibitor to re- 
serve dates, if he has them, and giving a short sales talk to the exhibitor, covering 
his particular situation, and possibly enclosing one or two of our latest heralds, 
in order to prepare the customer for the salesman's coming and interest him 
to looking forward to the visit, this generally paving a way for and helping the 
call of your salesman wherever possible. 

If properly handled, the right kind of personal and individual letters will not 
only help the salesman materially, but will give them a 50 per cent, better intro- 
duction, and it may actually cause the exhibitor to reserve a few open dates, in- 
stead of booking elsewhere. Its benefit to the salesman cannot be estimated. 

(f) Upon the completion of the salesman's call on the theatres of any city, he has 
two operations to perform. 

First, the writing up and signing of contracts which may have been made and 
forwarding them to the branch office ; also every detail possible concerning that 
booking, paper order, customer's requirements, a hint as to what bookings would 
take best in that city, any peculiar situations which have arisen, and every detail 
as to how best to serve that customer's interests. 

On those exhibitors to whom he has not been able to make a sale, he will give 
full and complete report upon the daily sales report, form 2-D, which is shown 
in the supplemental list of forms attached hereto, giving complete reasons why 
•this exhibitor could not be booked by him, and his stand so far as our company 
is concerned. This report should be made out by the salesman in detail, and 
as intelligently and legibly as possible. 

(g) Upon receipt of the salesman's envelope in the office, the manager likewise 
has two duties to perform. 

31 



First, he will have bookings made, will verify the dates and notify the 
customer of the verification of same. This verification should likewise be a 
personal and individual letter, wherever possible, devoting a few lines to 
the merits of the picture which the man has booked, and possibly enclosing 
a few heralds covering same. 

By a few words of enthusiasm to the customer on the picture booked, if the 
customer has not been sure of himself in making the booking, or is waivering, this 
letter will probably serve to steady and convince him. Or he may be satisfied 
and yet regard the booking as only an ordinary one, which he intends to adver- 
tise only as an ordinary show, and which in turn would probably draw only an 
ordinary patronage, to the disappointment of the exhibitor. 

On receipt of our letter he will, instead, be filled with a little bit of our own 
enthusiasm. His regard for the picture will be very much increased, and he will 
be unconsciously influenced to give this feature a few more posters, a little bit 
jStronger advertising, a little bit more attention than he would give some ordi- 
nary feature he has booked, and with this exceptional advertising, exceptional 
posters and exceptional attention which he is giving it, it will draw an exceptional 
audience, which, of course, he attributes to the features and holds our company 
in regard in accordance with his receipts. 

The reports which the salesman sends in covering the exhibitors he was unable 
to book should be carefully gone over and first entered on form 7-D, from which 
\ou can readily have the results of the previous salesman's call. The exhibitor 
should be written a personal letter, taking up and covering the objections which 
he has raised with the salesman; of course, first thanking that customer for 
the courtesy extended to the salesman in his call. 

If the exhibitor does not believe in features, he should be written along lines 
convincing him of the value of features. 

If he is satisfied that some other features are better than ours, we should be 
able to show him where our program will draw him more money than any other 
would. 

If he has keen competition, point out to him how he can overcome it, as it has 
been overcome by others, with the use of our features, etc. 

In other words, instead of letting that exhibitor grow cold after our salesman's 
visit, we should endeavor, if possible, to do what the salesman could not do. 
,It is barely possible that the salesman's personality may have been such that 
the exhibitor took a personal dislike to him, and, although convinced of the merit 
of our goods, might not have booked, where the manager's letter may convince 
him. 

It may be that the exhibitor was stubborn, and, although convinced, did not want 
ito give in, in which case a letter might get him. 

It may be that the salesman was feeling bad that day and did not put up a real 
convincing talk, where our letter will get him. 

It may be that the salesman overlooked two or three suggestions, which might 
be put by the manager in such a way as to convince the exhibitor. 

At the very most, it is again the principle of continually hammering in one spot, 
and keeping ourselves alive to the interests of the exhibitor, until the salesman 
calls or we have him on our books. 

(h) Letters which follow the salesman's call, like our mail sales work, should 

32 



be put in a follow-up or suspense file, and should be followed up weekly, until 
the exhibitor has been gotten or the salesman makes that city again. 

Collections Every manager should appreciate that sales development work and the business 

results of his office are represented in the collections. No development work is 
of value, no bookings are of value, in fact, are losses even beyond the bad indebt- 
edness, unless the rental of the service can be collected. 

Therefore, a manager's weekly results, so far as business is concerned, is judged, 
not by the amount of bookings, but by the amount of collections, and he should 
conduct his office in accordance therewith. 

The first step in insuring collection lies in the salesmen taking only solid ac- 
counts, those which are reliable and which are certain to pay, or pay cash in 
advance. 

There is no reason why every reliable exhibitor should not pay cash in advance. 
Exhibitors receive cash in advance from their patrons over their box-office win- 
dow to see the film which we supply them. Nobody every heard of a charge 
account in a moving-picture theatre. 

Any business in existence to-day must have cash to operate on, and you are, 
•therefore, certainly entitled to ask the exhibitor cash in advance for the film 
supplied him, and salesmen should sell on that basis ; likewise should the man- 
ager have all his dealings with customers on that basis. 

Salesmen should primarily, in entering a town, know, or ascertain, the most 
reliable customer, and, if possible, book that customer. 

The manager, upon receiving a salesman's booking, should make sure of the 
customer's reliability, and refuse to accept any booking from an exhibitor who 
is not reliable, or who is poor pay. 

Unfortunately, in the past we have not had this close attention to collection 
work, and from this lack of attention a bad state of outstanding accounts and 
bad credits exists. 

Where the condition exists that branches are not receiving cash in advance, 
there should be very close relationship between the manager, bookkeeper and 
shipper, with a view to getting the accounts paid up and prevent any customer 
from becoming in debt to the company for more than one feature. 

Each morning the shipping clerk should submit to the bookkeeper a list of ship- 
ments to be made that day, and if there is on that list any customer who owes us 
a considerable sum of money of long standing, or he is in arrears more than 
one feature, the matter should be placed before the manager for his judgment 
as to sending the shipment C. O. D., or some action for collecting the amount 
due us before the feature is sent out. 

In this way accounts can be kept down materially, and there is no reason why 
jthere should be outstanding accounts in any office we have. Boston is not only 
without an outstanding account, but is paid ahead, and upon the basis which we 
already put up, all our offices should have a like record. 

Jt is to be regretted that at the present time some offices show very heavy out- 
standing accounts. It, therefore, becomes necessary under the circumstances 
tor the manager to each week carefully check the present outstanding accounts, 
.form 131, which is shown in the supplemental list of forms attached hereto, 
with an endeavor to get it down just as much as possible, each week. 

33 



Careful checking weekly on the part of the manager should serve to very largely 
cut down the list and bring about far better conditions with reference to outstand- 
ing accounts than we have had in the past. 

Managers should, if possible, make arrangements to each Saturday afternoon, 
6'r each Monday afternoon, get in touch with each exhibitor who used our 
service the week previous and did not pay for it, and follow up with like action 
through the week. 

; lf there is any account of long standing, or where the exhibitor has used more 
than one feature, it should immediately be closed up in some way. 

When an account gets on our outstanding list, there are just four ways of closing 
up the indebtedness : 

Payment by Exhibitor. 

Compromise or Settlement. 

Legal Action. 

Credit. 

First of all, we should endeavor to collect the account. If this cannot be done, 
we should endeavor to settle, if, in the opinion of the branch or Division Man- 
ager, it is best to do so. That not being the case, and upon the Division Man- 
ager's instructions, the account should be sued, or if none of these operations 
are successful or business requirements demand, the account should go credited. 

Every outstanding account should be considered from this standpoint, and some 
basis of collection decided upon. This is particularly true of smaller outstand- 
ing accounts on our books which have been there for some time. Generally 
these smaller accounts are something which is in dispute and are more than apt 
to cause a misunderstanding and possible rupture of business relations, which 
may prove very costly to us in the long run. Therefore, they should be taken 
up and settled just as quickly and effectively as possible. 

As a rule, accounts remain unsettled on account of lack of attention on the part 
of the manager. A great many managers adopt an entirely wrong attitude toward 
collections, and have been inclined to bow to any demand which an exhibitor 
might make relative to collecting his account, and are inclined to put through 
a credit memorandum upon the least provocation, figuring that this holds the 
customer's business. 

Such is not the case. No fair-minded business man is going to respect or regard 
the man more highly for weakly giving into him in fair business matters. If a 
man is justly indebted to the company, there is no reason why he should not pay. 

If, however, there is any question in the matter or any circumstance which really 
affects the payment, this certainly should be carefully gone over and settled; 
but if it is merely a matter of where the customer does not want to pay, the 
manager should not feel that he is going to win and hold that customer's busi- 
ness by giving him credit. The only way, then, to hold such business is by 
continually giving credit, thus giving away the company's profit. 

Every branch manager should deeply realize the importance of collections, as 
we regard highly the employee who cannot only get the business, but collect the 
returns on it in a business-like way. 

Economical Secondary only to development of business and collections is the economical 

P 1- and efficient handling of the office out of which the business is obtained. 

Each office is eventually considered on a question of net profit, and net profit 
is simply the amount of business done, less the cost to obtain ^that business. 

34 



Therefore, a manager may readily recognize that he gains just as much by sav- 
ing $100 in expenditure as he does by putting on a $100 customer. 

The really valuable man is not necessarily the one who can get the most busi- 
ness, but the one who can get the most business with the least expenditure, as 
no office is an asset to the company which spends all of the profit which it 
takes in. 

At the -close of our fiscal year, in figuring the net profit of the offices, we found 
two or three offices which had collected several thousand dollars more than a 
sister office in rentals, yet that other office showed a greater net profit, because 
its expense had been a great deal less. 

Branch managers should practice economy in expenditure, both for the net 
results it shows in their work and for the general efficiency which it develops 
jn them in their business operations. 

Economy generally consists of not purchasing anything which is not needed or 
which can be gotten along without; also not spending any more money than is 
needed to accomplish the result required. 

At no time should economy be practised at the expense of production work, as 
}t is false economy to save $1 and lose $10 in sales. However, in every other 
department of the office it is possible to economize, and even in the sales depart- 
ment it is often possible to obtain the same results with a smaller expenditure, 
and this should at all times be considered. 

Branch managers should require that every department practice economy in 
expenditure in all their work and in everything they do. The purchasing depart- 
ment by shopping properly can very often obtain the same article at a cheaper 
price, by either buying in quantities or going to another store. 

For instance : A branch manager one time bought an oil stove. There is only 
one stove on the market which sells for more than $3.50, and that one sells for 
$11. All other oil stoves sell for anywhere from $2.50 to $3.50. Instead of 
looking around before purchasing, this manager bought the $11 oil stove. We 
were later informed to the effect that the $11 stove really gives less result than 
the one for $3.50. The Division Manager had the stove taken back and ex- 
changed for the cheaper one, thereby saving the company $7.50. 

At another time this manager ordered pictures taken of the office. He called 
up the first photographer in the telephone book, and never asked the price. 
As luck had it, he hit upon the highest-priced photographer in town, with the 
result that he was charged $17 for work which we should have secured for not 
more than $5, and possibly for less. 

Very often it has been found that offices were paying $1 a dozen for pencils. 
Upon the matter being pointed out to them, they found that they could obtain 
pencils which would give the same results, or even better, at 35 cents a dozen. 

Countless incidents of this kind can be cited. There was at one time a certain 
branch which was averaging $150 a month in telegraph bills, through careless 
and inefficient handling. Matters were left until the last minute and then a 
wire sent. Upon proper direction of the Division Manager, this bill was cut 
down considerably more than half, and without the loss of a single sales devel- 
opment possibility. 

It is quite a striking example that if each manager would only save $10 each 
week on such expenditures in every office in the United States, the company as 
a whole would save $12,000 in one year's time ; and many offices can save a great 
deal more than that amount. 

35 



Since carefully watching the expenditures of some offices, the average weekly 
expenditures during the past three or four months have been cut down $50 per 
week or more, and in one particular instance it was cut down nearly $300 per 
week. The cut in this office alone is saving the company $15,000 a year, and 
will show the concern a net profit of $15,000 more next year than it did last. 

Branch managers should realize the importance of economy, and, furthermore, 
recognize that it is not due to small principles on the part of the company, 
but is an absolute business virtue, which they should be just as glad to practice 
as we are to have them, for in the long run it shows just as much more to their 
credit, works just so much more to the general advancement of the company, 
which means in the long run their advancement also. 

Salesmen's Salesmen's expenses are treated under a separate head, for the reason that there 

E_ — o-« has been much discussion on this in the past, and this forms a very big item 

xpense* 

of branch expense. 

We expect all our salesmen to live exactly as they would if they were traveling 
at their own expense. We do not expect them to stop at high-priced hotels, which 
we feel certain they would not stop at were they traveling at their own expense ; 
neither do we expect them to live in cheap or degraded fashion. 

It will be found that in every city, no matter how large it may be, there are 
commercial hotels run generally by old commercial men especially for commer- 
cial travelers, and generally conducted at reasonable commercial rates. These 
are the hotels at which we expect our salesmen to stop. 

However, the greater part of the time our salesmen travel in smaller communi- 
ties, where the hotels are run on a good, clean basis, and yet are never expensive. 

The subject has been very carefully discussed with various authorities from 
tvery viewpoint, and in every instance it has been confirmed that an efficient 
,salesman should be able to travel at an average expenditure of $2.50 per day. 
Some days he may have to average more, and other days less ; and we expect the 
salesman to put in the exact amount of his expenditures in each instance, and 
we further expect this expenditure to be reasonable and exactly as it should be 
if he were paying the bills out of his own money. 

Figures have been compiled in this office of the expense reports of salesmen 
from all over the United States, and it has been found that the very best sales- 
men have been able to live at or near $2.50 per day, week in and week out, in 
the territory which they are traveling. 

It has been found true of salesmen in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt 
Lake City, Denver, Omaha, Chicago, Buffalo, Dallas, Cleveland and Indianapolis. 

The West is recognized as the most expensive part of the country in which to 
travel; and, at any rate, these offices are scattered all over the United States, 
which is indicative of the fact that local rates have not been higher or lower 
enough in some other part of the country to make the salesmen's expense cheaper, 
but have been the results, purely and simply, of the economical operation of 
ttie man who is doing the spending. 

Jf one man can do this and get good results, there is no reason why every man 
cannot do the same. 

Many employees feel that, just because they are living at the expense of the 
company, they have an opportunity to go as far as they like. This is a very poor 
business principle, and can possibly best be illustrated by the actions of a certain 
(traveling auditor out on the road. 

36 



While working in the Auditing Department of the Home Office, it is a known fact 
that he used to spend 15 to 20 cents a day for lunch, but as soon as he got on 
(the road, he put in hotel expenses of $3 a day and $1 a meal. The injustice of 
/this can readily be seen without any further comment. 

When we are spending the company's money, we should even be more careful 
jthan in spending our own, because in spending our own money we have no one 
else to account to, while in spending the company's money we are handling some 
one else's funds, which should always be used in a conscientious manner. 

Here again, the best man may not be regarded as the one who brings in the most 
business, but who brings it in at the least expense ; and if two men in one office 
each draw the same salary, and bring in approximately the same business, one 
Jiving at $3.50 per day and the other at $2.50, the one with the higher expenses 
is considered by far less efficient, and might be considered as getting just that 
much more per week. Furthermore, in considering his chances for advancement 
or increases in salary, this would be taken into consideration. This would slso 
be taken into consideration if this salesman were looking for advancement to 
a managerial position. If he cannot control and regulate his own expenditures 
on an economical basis, it is hardly feasible that he would regulate the expendi- 
tures of a branch on an economical basis and in an efficient manner, and it would 
weigh quite heavily against him. 

Office Lack of economy in office operation is quite often caused by inefficiency in the 

Efficiency office force. This, of course, bears even more heavily upon the ultimate business 

results to be obtained than upon the expenditures, and should be very carefully 

Considered from a standpoint of the successful operation of the office and service 

to customers. 

It does not necessarily follow that because an employee is working eight hours 
a day, or may even be working overtime, that that employee is efficient. That 
employee may not be doing the greatest amount of work possible or doing the 
work in the best possible way. 

Very often a branch manager may be somewhat influenced by the personality 
of an employee, and the employee which he may have considered efficient and 
a hard worker really may be lacking in a great number of qualifications which 
may be retarding the office work generally or hurting it specifically. 

Every department should be filled with the best employees that it is possible 
to obtain. Employees who will do the best and most work in the shortest space 
of time. Work turned out on this basis is generally apt to be far better than 
the slip-shod, mechanical work of the less efficient laborer, and will not only, as 
a rule, have better results in the individual transaction, but will have a better 
effect on the others working about the office, and may result in so handling the 
entire labors of the office that it will be found possible to eliminate one or more 
employees. 

That office is always best off which can accomplish its work with the least num- 
ber of employees handling it ; also it is more economically operated. The individ- 
ual work itself must be efficiently handled if the best results are to be obtained 
out of the office, as a whole. 

Once a customer has been placed on our books, we must depend on efficient 
service to keep him there. If you have a mediocre, careless or incompetent 
employee, who is going to be constantly making errors, that employee will cause 
us to lose business. That is why we cannot be satisfied even with just a satis- 
factory employee. Our employees must be the very best that it is possible to 
obtain. 

37 



The work must be so arranged and taken care of that it can be accomplished 
in an efficient way and in the shortest space of time. Very often lack of efficient 
work is the fault of the employees. At other times it is the fault of the division 
of work, or proper organization of departments by the manager. 

An actual instance arose at one time where a stenographer was put on to help 
(the bookkeeper, with the expectation that her bookkeeping work would con- 
sume about one-half of the day, and the rest be devoted to stenographic work. 
It was found, however, that she was devoting the whole day to bookkeeping 
work. Upon proper analysis of the reasons, it was found to be both her fault 
and that of the manager. 

In the first place, the girl was slow, inefficient and not able to take care of 
details. In the next place, the manager had not properly divided her work 
so that she might concentrate on it. Instead, she scattered her bookkeeping work 
all over the day, jumping from one thing to another, so that she could not con- 
centrate and was constantly flitting about, with the result that at the end of the 
day she had consumed a lot of time without really accomplishing anything. 

The branch manager, upon analyzing her work, set aside specific hours for 
taking care of specific transactions, wherein she concentrated during these hours 
until she finished the task to which she was assigned, and in this way a great 
deal of time was saved, merely by the manager mapping out and dividing her 
duty in such a way that she could handle it concretely and concentrate upon it 
during the time she was on it. A great deal more time was saved and better 
service obtained when the manager made a change and got a real rapid, efficient 
girl in place of the slow and careless one who was attempting to do the work. 

Branch managers should carefully analyze their employees, their work and divi- 
sion of duties, to see that they are divided in such a way as to bring about the best 
and most efficient results for the office. Some employees may have too little 
work to do ; some employees may be doing work which could be done better by 
others, etc. The efficient manager will quickly ferret out these conditions and 
correct them, getting the right man in the right place, doing the right work in 
the right amount of time. 

Number of The question has arisen as to just how many employees an office should have 

Employees an( * how the work should be divided. 

It is probably safe to even outline a basis of employees for the average office 
which would cover almost any office of the company outside of New York and 
Chicago, and possibly one or two others, and upon the basis of handling two 
feature releases per week. 

There has been placed opposite each employee the average salary which should 
be paid, or rather aggregate salaries for the total number of employees in that 
department. The number may have to be varied somewhat, on account of cer- 
tain local conditions, or salaries may have to be varied somewhat; but it is 
unquestionably a good ideal to work to, and should be adhered to as nearly as 
possible : 

Manager 

1 Assistant Manager or Sales Manager $25 

2 Salesmen 50 

1 Bookkeeper 20 

1 Booker and Assistant Bookkeeper 15 

1 Record Clerk and Assistant Bookkeeper 10 

2 Stenographers 25 

2 Shipping Clerks 25 

3 Inspectors 25 

38 



This should keep the aggregate payroll under $250, even with the added help 
which it is necessary to put on to handle two releases per week. 

In many offices the general managerial duties, questions of judgment, co-operat- 
ing with exhibitors, routine correspondence, creation of ideas, general sales exten- 
sion work, checking of office efficiency, etc., leaves the manager in a position where 
he does not really have the time to devote to sales development work that he 
should. That is why there has been placed in this list an assistant manager or 
sales developer, whose sole duty will be to either take these details for the most 
part off the manager's shoulders, or attend solely and strictly to sales development 
work. 

In this way the sales developer is working one route by mail, while the salesman 
is working another personally ; and it should be possible for almost every office, 
except the two above mentioned, to cover its territory at short enough intervals 
so that two salesmen will be sufficient, routed along systematic lines. 

If two salesmen can cover the territory completely every two months, in conjunc- 
tion with the mail sales work of the sales developer, this is often enough to bring 
about results in any territory, and that is why two salesmen have been placed 
on the list. 

The bookkeeping and booking work is very largely interwoven, and in that de- 
partment have been placed practically three employees — a bookkeeper, booker 
and record clerk, or assistant bookkeeper. 

Any booker on solid booking work should not, if he is efficient, be compelled to 
spend his entire time. There is then a certain amount which he can take off the 
shoulders of the bookkeeper, and between the three of them, even with "two-a- 
week" and separate billings, they should be able to take care of the work, and 
their labors so arranged that they do co-operate with the best possible results. 
The record clerk can also be of assistance in keeping up any records about the 
office. 

No office which is doing the proper amount of sales development work can get 
along with less than two stenographers. The stenographer would probably be 
busy, for the most part, on routine work, leaving little room for any actual sales 
development work. Then it would certainly be very easy to keep the other stenog- 
rapher busy on sales development letters all the time — personal individual com- 
munications covering the exhibitor's needs and local problems. 

Two shipping clerks are provided for shipping and advertising stock work. It is 
barely possible that with three inspectors there might be times when one will not 
be busy, at which time that employee can also help in getting up advertising or- 
ders or keeping the advertising stock in order. At any rate, with five efficient 
employees, and a total expenditure of $50 a week in the shipping depart- 
ment, there is no reason why the work should not be properly and efficiently 
carried on. 

Service to Probably the most important of the mechanical details of any branch office is 

Customers service to customers. This should at all times be as nearly perfect as the human 

element and transportation facilities will permit. 

From an exhibitor's standpoint, service is the most important factor for the 
branch manager to develop in his exchange operation, and should receive very 
close and personal consideration from him. This is the natural sequence to office 
efficiency and proper office organization. 

It is quite essential, once the contract is obtained, that the salesmen see that every 
detail is supplied the branch for the efficient serving of that customer, both as 

39 



to nature of bookings, shipping facilities, payment of bills and advertising matter 
to be supplied. 

Once this is obtained, the booker or manager should see that the proper bookings 
are made to that man. 

Recently a complaint came into the Home Office from a certain exhibitor that 
he had received four war pictures in one month, and even upon calling this mat- 
ter to the attention of the manager could not get a change in the booking. This 
is certainly most inefficient booking, and could not be termed service by the wild- 
est stretch of the imagination. 

In filling bookings, extreme care should be used and proper efforts should be put 
forth to see that correct shipment of film and advertising is made and at the 
proper time. 

Following the completion of a shipment, proper bills should be issued at the right 
time, and the bills be correct in every sense of the word. Nothing is quite so 
annoying to an exhibitor as not to have been shipped a part of his order and yet 
to get a bill covering the very paper which was not shipped him and which he 
wanted so badly. 

Before the reels are shipped, extreme care should be taken to see that they are 
in good condition, so that they show up properly on the screen. 

Given this kind of service, the manager need have little worry but what he is 
going to be able to retain that customer on his books, it being assumed, of course, 
jthat the salesman and manager have originally sold the customer on the right 
basis. 

We depend upon our sales development work to get us customers. We then 
depend upon our office service to hold them for us. 

Courtesy Service to customers also implies and demands the principles of courtesy, polite- 

nd Tact ness anc ^ * act on * ne P ar * °^ ever y employee in the branch. Nothing is to be 

gained at any time with a reasonable business man by an arbitrary or antagonistic 

attitude. 

Every branch manager should demand from each employee absolute courtesy and 
politeness in business transactions with every customer at all times. 

Customers very often come in dissatisfied, and it should be remembered that there 
is no question but what this exhibitor has a reason for so being. His stand may 
be unreasonable from our viewpoint, yet it must be remembered that there are 
two sides to the question, and unless we can convince the exhibitor in a nice way 
that he is wrong, he will never feel otherwise than that he is justified in his atti- 
tude ; consequently he will never have the right feeling toward the company. 

Jn such a case, instead of the employee becoming arbitrary or independent, he 
should show the customer every courtesy possible, and handle him in a tactful 
manner. If it is a question which can be settled only by the manager, he should 
be referred to the manager, and no attempt to settle the matter made by the 
employee. 

Very often a few well-directed remarks and a simple pointing out of both sides 
of the question by the manager will show this exhibitor where he is quite wrong, 
and will effectually settle the whole difficulty, whereas an antagonistic, arbitrary 
attitude on the part of a minor employee might cause the exhibitor to go away 
with such a feeling toward the company that it would be impossible for us to 
get any future business from him. 

# 40 



The entire business and great success of the United Cigar Stores has been prac- 
tically built up by the demand for service and courtesy which has been made 
upon each employee connected with that company, and its value has been repeat- 
edly proven in every line of commercial trade. 

Particularly is courtesy necessary in the bookkeeping and shipping departments, 
where customers generally first present their complaint when they pay a bill or 
return film or paper. Very often proper courtesy and politeness in these depart- 
ments will turn the customer's feeling, whereas an arbitrary attitude will simply 
fan the flame. 

Every employee in the office, even the stenographer, may consider themselves 
salesmen. They should understand that by properly handling a customer, a smile 
and a little courtesy, they may put that customer in such a frame of mind that 
he will have a kindly feeling toward the office, and he will be inclined to give 
our features, or any proposition we may have for him, much better consideration 
than he would otherwise. 

Condition Many managers attach too little importance to the condition of film, when in 

r -p-i reality it is probably most important of the mechanical details of any branch. 

The best film in the world is no good if it does not show up properly on the 
screen. Our strongest features may be made to look cheap and uninviting if, 
when thrown on the screen, they are covered with oil, there are bad jumps, the 
sprocket holes are off and the film breaks in many places, or there are other 
troubles, which allow anything but perfect projection. 

So far as the patrons of the theatre are concerned, the film is not necessarily 
wonderful because it has been properly produced, but it is only really good as it 
actually appears on the screen. 

It has been surprising to note that on one customer's report card on "The Pit," 
which is unquestionably one of, if not our strongest features, it was termed "infe- 
rior." In the remarks column nothing whatsoever was said about the quality 
or drawing power of the picture, but the whole space was taken up in detailing 
in what terrible condition this print had been received from the branch, on account 
of which reason it could not be properly projected on the screen, causing a great 
many disappointments. 

Let it be impressed upon you again that from the exhibitor's standpoint, the 
picture is only as good as it appears on the screen of his theatre. Therefore, 
realize as deeply as it is possible the importance of proper inspection, and the 
proper handling of film, and their transfer to the exhibitor in the best possible 
condition. 

Too much cannot be done by the manager to make this service as nearly perfect 
as possible. Careful inspectors should be employed, and their work carefully 
regulated. Primarily there should be kept in each vault, for the purpose of 
softening films, a pan of water, containing the following solution : 

1 quart glycerine, 4 cakes camphor, 4 parts water. 

This keeps the film in a softened condition and prevents hardening and cracking. 

If the film gets into an extremely bad condition, it should be returned to the 
Home Office for repair, or a new print ordered. 

It has also been found desirable by a number of managers, in preserving their 
film, to have it renovated by a tried and proven process. Extreme care should 
be used, however, that the process is one that does not curl or buckle the film, 
or shorten its life otherwise. Reliable renovation should preserve the life of the 
film, keep it free from oil and dirt, keep scratches down to a minimum, and gen- 
erally give a clearer picture on the screen. 

41 



Checking No branch manager, of course, can or should take care of all detail work about 

Details t ^ ie °^ ce - I* would be a physical impossibility in the first place, and poor busi- 

ness in the second. He must have employees who can take the detail work off 
his shoulders. 

At the same time, the branch manager must be so familiar with every detail 
in his office, so informed as to methods of operation and detail requirements, that 
he can at all times check the work of his employees to see that they are caring 
for every detail properly, and he should also be in a position to help these em- 
ployees if they are in trouble with their detail work. 

It thus becomes necessary for every manager, if he is not at the present time fully 
conversant with all details, office forms, branch requirements, etc., to fully acquire 
this knowledge by application to his Division Manager for even the smallest detail, 
and to carefully study all available records in his office. 

While the branch manager is not personally doing detail work, he is held account- 
able for all work done in his branch and the showing of his branch, it being under- 
stood that, although he is not doing the work, he is checking it; and if he has 
inefficient employees, he must know it, and replace them with efficient help. 

i 
Also, no branch manager can ever be certain that his customers are getting the 
service they should unless he is capable of checking detail work, and does check 
it. at stated intervals. 

Home Office This brings us down to Home Office forms, their use in the branches and the 

Forms importance thereof. There is not a single form which has been put out by the 

Home Office which is not needed. The specified need may not be apparent to the 
branch manager, and, so far as the branch is concerned, there may not be any 
need for it. However, it must be remembered that there are certain auditing 
requirements in the Home Office that have no bearing on the branch whatsoever. 

First of all, it must be remembered that this is a corporation, and is legally bound 
to present certain statements to stockholders and the public. Also, that some 
features are being handled on a royalty basis, which makes it necessary for us 
to submit certain legal reports to the manufacturer of these features and cer- 
tain details in accordance with contracts which may have been entered into with 
this manufacturer. Numerous other contingencies which may arise in the Home 
Office require information and the filling out of certain forms, which, as pointed 
out, may not be apparent to the branch manager, but which are vitally necessary 
to the company. 

Therefore, when a form is sent to the branch from the Home Office, it should 
receive very close attention and study. It should be put in operation exactly 
in accordance with instructions. 

These forms, when brought in, should be carefully considered by the manager 
and the department which is involved, and should be worked out thoroughly. 
If any form is not fully understood, it should be inquired about, even if it is a 
simple one. It is just as essential that the branch manager know the purpose and 
workings of these forms as the employee who is handling them, as here again 
he must check their operation. 

Through failure to fill out all these forms which are sent, some shortage is bound 
to occur, and those shortages always reflect personally back on the manager. 
Therefore, the manager should carefully check all details. 

For instance : In getting up our annual report, some offices showed a shortage 
of several thousands dollars in stock, according to our Home Office reports. 
This was caused particularly by improper report of sales and rentals to the Home 
Office and improper filling out, or not filling out at all, of some forms which we 
sent to the branches for their use. 

42 



It should be remembered that, no matter what is sent to the branch, even down to 
a lead pencil, a charge is made against that branch. On anything which the 
branch is to be held accountable for, forms have been sent out for proper advice 
as to its use and disposition. If these forms are not sent back to the Home 
Office, they have no means of withdrawing this charge against the branch for 
the gqods that were received, with the result that we continue to have a charge 
on our books against that branch. At the end of the year this charge will come 
to light, with nothing to offset it, and that branch and that manager will be re- 
sponsible for the shortage. 

That is why there was such a glaring discrepancy in some of the stock reports 
from some of the branches, which in some instances ran into a shortage of thou- 
sands of dollars, and which, naturally, reflected very seriously on the branch, 
and which amount might even be recovered, if so desired, from the bond of the 
manager. 

Managers should, therefore, realize the importance of every form sent out, and 
see to it that it is properly followed and properly reported upon. The detail work- 
ing of the various forms will be considered under the heading of the various 
departments which operate them, and the managers should carefully study them, 
as outlined under these headings, in order to be familiar with and check them 
at all times. 

Handling We will at this time specifically consider contracts, because they are directly 

Contracts handled by the manager, and because of their abuse in the past. A new form 

of contract is being issued, which, as far as the branch is concerned, entails only 

a simple order blank. 

The branch merely takes the customer's order, one copy going to the branch, one 
ccpy to the Home Office and one copy to the customer. This order is sent to the 
Home Office, which in turn sends back to the customer and to you copy of our 
acceptance of his order, and this acceptance then becomes part of the contract. 

This simplification has been made on account of the apparent laxity on the part 
of branches in handling our former contracts. 

The present order blanks are extremely simple, and sample is shown, form 680, 
in supplemental list of forms, attached hereto. A complete sample is made out 
for your guidance, and should be closely followed. Sample is also shown of 
the acceptance, form 681, but this you may disregard, as the branch will have 
nothing whatsoever to do with it. However, each branch will be given sample 
forms 681 for carrying, in case the exhibitors want to see the acceptance. 

Hereafter there will be only one form of contract, in different colors, designating 
the two separate services. It is also so constructed that the same order blanks 
can be used for either contract or wildcat service. 

If for contract service, the order can be made out in accordance with the day 
of the week on which the service should be used. If for wildcat service, the 
space for the days of the week is large enough for the individual bookings to 
be listed, and in either event, the Home Office copy must be sent to the Home 
Office. 

The form is so simple that it seems hardly necessary to explain it, the only sug- 
gestion being that in any instance where any blank space is not used, it should 
be x'd out on the typewriter, in making out the form by the salesman. Other- 
wise, every space should be intelligently filled out. 

In the past, we have had a great deal of trouble on account of carelessness on 
the part of salesmen and managers in making out these contracts. The pro- 

43 



cedure now is so simple that carelessness or mishandling of these contracts in 
the future will not meet with approval, or tend to especially elevate the employee 
v/ho offends in this direction. 

Repeated instructions have been sent out as to proper signature of contracts 
by individuals and corporations and partnerships ; also proper billing in accord- 
ance with whosoever signs the contract ; also the O. K.'ing of inserted clauses and 
the omission of inserted clauses, so far as possible, etc. 

These are small matters, but important from our standpoint, and should be very 
closely watched. 

Following up No branch manager should take a cancellation as final, or rather he should not 

Cancellations consider the matter ended, upon receipt of the customer's notice. 

Any man who has once been on our books should be the livest kind of a pros- 
pect." If there has been a cancellation, it probably has resulted from one of two 
sources. 

Either the features have proven unsatisfactory, or the service has been unsat- 
isfactory. 

In either case, the manager should quickly ascertain the trouble, and remedy it, if 
at all possible. 

Careful record should be kept of all cancellations, and a cancelled customer should 
be followed up in exactly the same fashion that our mail sales campaign is han- 
dled and our salesmen's calls are checked. 

A cancelled contract can be reinstated either by mail or by a salesman's call, and 
the plans of operation follow very largely those outlined in our mail sales and 
salesmen's sales campaigns. 

Handling In accordance with the sales policy inaugurated some time ago, after a certain 

Wildcats length of time, features are placed in a "wildcat" division at lower prices. Wild- 

cat service may be handled along various lines. 

Quite often it is valuable for a branch manager to go over his list of bookings 
for any individual feature which is strong and deserves a thorough booking, and 
get a list of those cities in which it is not booked, and obtain bookings there 
accordingly. 

Also, it is quite desirable to form such features in a class "B" service, supply 
them to customers at cheaper prices than the regular features, and have the 
exhibitors run them at stated intervals. 

Some managers put this on a basis of regular service order. An order is taken 
from the exhibitor for service on a certain night each week, or two nignts each 
week, as long as the service is satisfactory. Bookings are sent two weeks in 
advance and paper one week in advance. These bookings may be cancelled at 
any time, upon eight days' notice given in advance, so that no paper will be 
shipped out. This relieves the exhibitor of rebooking, if he is satisfied, and the 
office of following up booking with the customers. 

Some offices have even gone so far as to take seven features and make it what 
they term weekly service to exhibitors, setting a price for the week, and this 
has been found to be successful. 

They have also made what they call a second-run service at lower prices, to be 
tun in a neighborhood where they had first run months before. 

44 



Wildcat bookings are for the most part somewhat erratic, and requirr careful 
attention and follow-up. When wildcat bookings are made, some method must 
be devised for following up that exhibitor for future dates at a proper time 
before the expiration of his bookings. Either a slip should be insert kJ in the 
follow-up file a couple of weeks before expiration, or the booking clerk should 
make a certain check on his book two or three features before expiration, so 
that it will be called tc the manager's attention, in order that he may write the 
exhibitor to get further bookings before his present ones expire, that die office 
may continue serving him without interruption. 

Intensive Much has been said of Intensive Cultivation, and it is dealt with here, under a 

Cultivation separate heading for the simple reason that it is possibly still misunderstood 

by some managers. 

Intensive Cultivation is fully covered under the proper handling of our sales 
development work. It is separately considered from the fact that Intensive Cul- 
tivation with most film managers is a new thing, which many of them have been 
unable to understand. 

Heretofore, with the lack of commercial methods and real efficiency in the film 
game, only the high spots have been hit, and there has never been any attempt 
made to carefully and systematically check every possibility in the territory, no 
matter how small it may be. 

Cities of under 5,000 were rarely considered, and when it came down to cities 
of 1,000 and less, they were never thought of. Houses opening once a week were 
thought too small to waste time on. In fact, only those accounts which came 
readily to the manager or actually to the office were given attention. After the 
surface of the territory was skimmed, the branch manager considered he had 
obtained the utmost results, and was satisfied to rest on his oars. 

With us, we have never obtained our maximum possibilities until we have en- 
tered every house in our territory, no matter how small it may be. 

Intensive Cultivation implies, literally, making two blades of grass grow where 
one did before, and with it we go further in a more specific way — we make two 
blades of grass grow where none did before, by going after small and previously 
unthought-of accounts, developing new territory which has previously been neg- 
lected, and getting business which has never been on our books before. 

This is a very important part of our business, and through lack of Intensive Cul- 
tivation, most film exchanges to-day only serve about 10 per cent., or less, of 
their possibilities. It is actually shown that there has never previously been any 
attempt made at Intensive Cultivation or expansion of business in new fields 
and in territories which heretofore have never been developed. 



Correspondence 



The short-sighted branch manager, looking on the individual transaction, does 
not stop to consider that a great volume of small accounts means even more 
than a small volume of big accounts, not alone because the small accounts are not 
at present developed, but because they are generally more staple, and a single 
cancellation less effects the business When it occurs. Real successful offices of 
the United States to-day are those which have gone over their minimum on a 
bulk of small accounts in little theatres and little towns, and there are particu- 
larly two or three offices of the company which are over their minimum without 
a single first-run account, and when they do obtain this first-run business, they 
will go so much over their minimum as to make it noteworthy. They do not 
depend on their first run account, and a first-run cancellation would not affect 
them in any way, shape or form. 

Circular letters should not be used in any business dealings of this company wher- 

45 



ever it is possible to avoid it. Circular letters can only deal in generalities. They 
cannot cover specific cases ; neither can they make concrete propositions, and the 
only really convincing mail sales communication is that which puts up a concrete 
proposition and covers specific instances and conditions surrounding the subject 
under consideration. 

In the past, it has been the general custom in this line to cover development work 
solely by circular letter, it can be plainly seen that a circular letter written to 
vover a general situation cannot deal witn anyone's particular case. A circular 
letter written to cover the whole territory covers nothing, for if it is going to cover 
a summer resort, it cannot apply to a coal camp ; if it is written to an exhibitor 
in a large city, it cannot cover the needs ot a village exhibitor, etc. Therefore, 
a circular letter, which is gotten out at considerable expense, and consumes time 
as well, can bring few dehnite results. It may get a tew inquiries, which later 
may lead to bookings, but rarely ever gets real live orders. 

On the other hand, a direct personal letter, covering the individual case under 
consideration, making a definite, concrete proposition, and outlining a specific 
remedy for whatever fault may be present, and fully covering that customer's 
situation in an intelligent sort of way, is bound to strike a responsive chord ; and 
if the situation has been intelligently covered, it cannot fail to bring some results 
from the exhibitor to whom it is addressed. 

This can be very readily applied to a purchase of your own, along any line you 
might mention. Let us say, for instance, that you want to buy a diamond ring. 
Would you be most interested in a dissertation which covered jewelry in general, 
or would you be convinced and sold by an individual covering of the diamond ring 
that you want to buy, whether or not it is a real diamond, how much it costs, how 
much it is worth, how it was constructed, the responsibility of the firm back of 
it, its merits or demerits, why you should buy it at this time, possibilities of the 
future market, etc. ? There is hardly any question but what you would want to 
know facts covering the individual piece of jewelry that you were considering. 
Just so does the exhibitor; and just so at no time should a circular letter be used. 

One Manager had a form circular letter which he sent out in acknowledging book- 
ings. It may be pointed out that a great deal more would be gained by an individ- 
ual letter to that man, showing him how the booking he had made could be best 
run in his town to get the best results, and to inject enthusiasm into the exhibitor 
over the booking. On the other hand, a form letter comes to him cold, and 
merely informing him that he has a certain feature for a certain date. He will 
probably advertise this feature just like any other feature, whereas if that letter 
contains a few words of enthusiasm, tells why the feature will appeal in his par- 
ticular locality, just how an advertising touch here or a little poster there might 
make it unusually successful, the exhibitor will be inclined to order a few more 
posters and to advertise it more extensively, which will bring bigger returns for 
him. 

S 
Individual correspondence plays an important part in sales development work, 
where never, under any circumstances, should form letters be written. They 
should always be personal, direct appeals, covering the individual situation and 
offering a concrete proposition. In all work should circular letters be avoided 
as much as possible. 

Lihoosing j n choosing employees, they should be considered as to their particular fitness and 

Employees qualification for the position which they are to fill. 

At the head of each employee's division is listed the general qualifications neces- 
sary in that employee, and the Branch Manager, in considering the applicant for 
position or promotion, will question him in a way which will indicate his particular 

46 



views, ideas and principles along the lines set forth. There should be no difficulty 
at any time in choosing the proper employees to fill the proper positions. 

Employees should never at any time be engaged unless they meet these require- 
ments and qualifications. No employee should be hired or retained except on a 
merit basis, and because that employee is the best that can be obtained for that 
particular work. 

In giving the qualifications of the various employees, it is intended, not alone to 
guide the manager in considering an applicant for a new position, but also in 
reviewing his present employees, and seeing that they also meet the requirements 
of their positions. Also, that these employees may analyze their work and see 
that they are fully qualified for working along the most efficient lines, and that 
they are lacking in no respect. Or, if they are, that they may develop their short- 
comings, by more nearly perfecting the work which they are doing. 

Choosing In choosing a salesman, the Manager might, with a copy of his requirements 

Salesmen before him, put into concrete examples cases which actually occurred in his terri- 

tory; and by getting expressions from the salesman, he can not only judge as to 
his ability along these particular lines, but he can draw out of that salesman other 
principles necessary, which may not be put into actual examples. 

The Manager might generally place before the applicant problems and instances, 
which should indicate to an observant manager whether or not he is fitted along 
the following lines: 

Sales Ability 

Energy 

Creative Idea Ability 

Judgment 

Honesty 

Reliability 

Advertising Ability 

As an instance to determine whether the applicant has sales ability, ask him on 
what general principle he would sell your line, how he would induce the cus- 
tomer to buy it, or, better yet, let him tell you how he has sold the line that he has 
previously been handling, and exactly how he has worked. From his answer the 
Manager should readily be able to deduce as to whether or not he is a salesman 
or an order taker. 

As an example, a man recently applied for a position as salesman, stating that he 
had previously sold a certain brand of electric lights. When asked as to how he 
sold these lights, he made a statement that he merely went in and told the pur- 
chasing agents what kind of lights he sold. This was an indication that he was 
not selling the lights, but taking orders on them on the strength of an advertising 
campaign which was being carried on in connection with these lights. 

Any man can go into a purchasing agent and tell him what kind of lights he is 
selling. In fact, this can just as well be done by letter ; and it is self-evident that 
this man would undoubtedly operate along the same lines for us. That is, simply 
go in and tell the exhibitor what features he is handling, and when it really came 
to selling the features and impressing upon the exhibitor that we could give him 
the best value on the market, that our features were the best, that they would 
make more money for him, provide a bigger drawing power than any others on the 
market, he would be at a loss for words. 

In just this way it should be quite easy for every branch manager, in interviewing 
an applicant for salesmanship, to determine just whether that applicant has sales 
ability or not. 

To determine whether he has good judgment, you might propound to him some 

47 



case like the one that appeared in the weekly bulletin, where the unreliable Opera 
House manager came in and offered a little more money for our service after the 
Play House had contracted for it. 

His answer, or at least his consideration of the question, should indicate as to 
whether or not he would use proper judgment in handling situations of this or 
any other kind which might arise. 

Or you might put up to him cases which have actually happened to salesmen in 
)our division, where judgment has been required. 

ft is quite easy to put up to him propositions to decide as to whether he would 
sell customers honestly and reliably, whether or not he has any creative ability, 
advertising ability, etc. 

If a Branch Manager will keep closely before him, or even on a sheet of paper 
on his desk, these qualifications, and set opposite each one some example to place 
before the applicant, he will have no trouble in determining the ability of that 
applicant, for in the answers, not alone will he determine whether the man pos- 
sesses these qualifications, but he will be able to judge as to the man's personality, 
politeness and courtesy. 

Of course, it can be seen at a glance whether the man has a clean-cut appearance 
or not, and in the course of conversation, you can readily tell whether or not he 
is ambitious, inclined to be prompt, and is an enthusiast. 

You should also determine, by example, whether or not he will be staple and 
permanent with the company, or is simply a fly-by-night, who is looking for a 
temporary position until he gets something else. 

Wherever possible, it is desirable to engage men with a view toward advancing 
them to better positions. 

Choosing With the method before you of choosing salesmen, the selection of other em- 

Bookkeepers ployees should be an easy matter, and by referring to the qualifications of book- 

keepers, under that particular heading, they can be chosen in the same manner. 
If the Manager is not iamiliar with a bookkeeper of known attainments, the most 
reliable business college in that city should be called upon for an expert graduate 
bookkeeper, inasmuch as this college will have given the bookkeeper an expert 
training, and if the college is reliable and going to stay in business, they make 
a practice of placing their graduates, and can only continue this practice by giving 
reliable service to the business men whom they place their pupils with. 

Choosing Shipping Clerks should be chosen in view of the qualifications as set forth under 

Skipping Clerks ^at neac hng, in exactly the same manner as salesmen and bookkeepers. 

A bright young man should be taken on, whom you feel can later develop into a 
salesman or other capacities, as it is hardly worth while wasting time on men who 
are mere machines and can never go any higher than they start, when men of 
bigger promise can be obtained for that work. 

Handling A very important part of a Branch Manager's work is the proper handling of 

Sale«men salesmen, inasmuch as they are very largely instrumental in providing the life of 

his business. Too much cannot be done by the Branch Manager to back up and 
improve the work of the salesmen under him. 

First of all, salesmen snould be kept busy traveling, and selling goods, and at no 
time should they be allowed to lie around the office. Some offices, in the past, 
have made quite a practice of letting salesmen come in each Friday night, and 

48 



probably get out Monday or Tuesday. In other offices, the salesmen have been 
allowed to stay around the office for several days or a week at a time. 

The Branch Manager is working against his own interests when he allows this, 
as, if the salesmen are not on the road, the business is lessened thereby. Also, 
if a practice is made of letting the salesmen come in for each week-end, it is self- 
evident that they cannot get very far away from the office. They should be routed 
systematically, and the minute they finish one route, they should take up another. 

A great deal of the work of handling salesmen has been taken up under the head- 
ing of sales development work, but a couple of very important phases of it have 
not been touched. One is the backing up of salesmen while on the road. 

It should be recognized by branch managers that the salesman may become dis- 
couraged. He may strike a particularly hard territory, and may meet some antag- 
onistic customers. Perhaps he has met a man who has so run down our service 
that he himself is beginning to lose faith in it. Numerous things like this may 
come up to dishearten the salesman or take away his efficiency in sales work. 

If about that time he gets a good encouraging, bolstering letter from you, com- 
menting upon his work in general, giving him a little boost, an idea as to the excep- 
tional merit of some feature which just came in and you have seen, a little in- 
formation as to coming releases which just was received from the Home Office, 
and generally a little talk on the strength of our features, with ideas and sugges- 
tions for getting business, this is bound to have more than satisfactory results. 
It will unquestionably bolster him up and result in his getting contracts in the next 
few towns, which he otherwise would have missed, for no salesman can do his 
best work, or even good work, who is not really enthusiastic, confident and a firm 
believer in his own goods and his own proposition. 

Training Another important part of our salesmen's handling is the proper training and the 

Salesmen proper checking up of their efforts before they go out and at the end of each trip. 

No new salesman should be taken on by any manager unless he is properly trained. 
He should not alone be familiar with the goods, but with the company, its make-up, 
its method of operation, its policies and every detail concerning it. 

It may even be necessary for the manager to hold a sort of school with this new 
salesman, in order to start him out right, which is far better than to let him start 
out cold, with no knowledge of the proposition or what he is going up against, 
and let him receive his knowledge and his bumps from exhibitors, without any 
means of meeting them. 

There are also a number of sales matters to go over with the salesman upon his 
return to the office from each trip. 

Upon the salesman's return, the branch manager should devote as much time as is 
necessary to carefully going over with that salesman all circumstances which have 
arisen during his trip, and also to closely check up his work and to receive informa- 
tion regarding every account the salesman called on. 

By getting such information from the salesman, the branch manager can really 
keep in close touch with his territory and the exhibitors therein, and it is quite 
necessary that each branch manager do so. He may find that poor judgment was 
used by the salesman, which can be corrected. It might be found that the sales- 
man is selling along wrong lines, or laboring under misapprehension relative to cer- 
tain policies or sales propositions, and these should be corrected and thrashed out. 
The resultant good to all concerned is obvious. 

Mistakes Just as salesmen should be trained for their particular work, so should all branch 

49 



office employees be trained in their duties, and a very important part of this train- 
ing, and a factor which has a particularly important bearing, is the handling of 
mistakes made in daily work. 

Managers must more or less be placed in the light of teachers, whose duty it is to 
build and develop, not antagonize and tear down. 

When a mistake is made, it should not be made the cause for "bawling out" or 
severely reprimanding the employee from an anger standpoint. For the most 
part, nothing is to be gained by this method with good men. 

It is naturally to be expected that no man can be 100 per cent, perfect. Everyone is 
liable to make mistakes. Of course, on the other hand, the fact must be recognized 
that no company can keep employees who continue to make mistakes after they are 
once pointed out, or who seem to make no effort to correct mistakes when called 
to their attention, and repetition or prevalence of mistakes in the work of any 
employee, makes it quite necessary, from an efficiency standpoint, to dismiss that 
employee. 

However, once mistakes have been made, they are generally costly to the com- 
pany, and since there is cost involved, we should attempt to gain from the mis- 
take to offset this cost. We certainly do not gain anything when we discourage 
or antagonize the one who made the mistake. The only way we can gain is by 
very carefully considering the mistake ; first, as to whether or not its possible 
result can be offset ; next, as to the underlying principles that caused the mistake^ 
and how to avoid similar mistakes in the future. 

Every mistake should be made the occasion for a small school being held by the 
manager, either with the employee who is at fault, or with all the employees. If 
the mistake involves an underlying principle, it should be called to the attention 
of all the employees, although the one who made the mistake should not necessarily 
he held to the light, but the principle should be dwelt on at great length, and an 
endeavor made to see that this principle is not prevalent in any other employee. 

They should be made to see the result of the principle, just how and why the 
mistake occurred, and how they can avoid similar mistakes in the future. 

A good man always welcomes his mistakes and shortcomings being called to his 
attention, for he realizes that only through correcting errors and overcoming 
his weak spots can he hope to grow. Every time a man has corrected an error 
or developed a weak spot in himself, he has made himself that much more valu- 
able to the company. That is why mistakes, aside from being a physical loss to 
the company, if properly handled by the manager in charge of the office can be 
made an asset and a benefit. 

Employees should be encouraged to bring mistakes to the manager, and not be 
discouraged or instilled with the feeling of fear every time anything comes up. 
However, they should be made to realize that a great number of serious mistakes 
makes them so inefficient, from an office standpoint, that they cannot be retained. 
On the other hand, they should not be encouraged to cover up mistakes, and they 
should be made to understand that mistakes, if properly handled, not only help 
themselves, but are a stepping stone to the general betterment of the office and 
everyone concerned with that office. 

Business This practically completes the mechanical operations of a manager's handling 

Analysis of a branch office, and brings us down to a great many general principles and 

qualifications involved in the successful management to obtain maximum results. 

One of the greatest underlying principles and requirements along executive lines 
is the ability to carefully analyze everything that each branch manager comes in 
contact with — methods, men, conditions, territories, customers. 

50 



It is only by careful, cold analysis and deep study that a real, good insight can 
be gotten into most business transactions, and that they can be judged most effi- 
ciently, without the glamor of personality entering in. 

The fundamental principles in any man or any transaction should always be 
carefully studied out, and their application carefully checked back to ascertain 
that they are correct. 

Things which upon the surface may seem good, or which upon careless or too 
little consideration may seem entirely correct, may be found to be decidedly off 
and lacking in a great many vital respects. 

Managers should analyze their territory, and they should not guess that they are 
getting all the business that is to be obtained ; but they should know from figures 
and facts just where they are represented or where they are not represented, just 
whether their prices are right or whether they are not. 

It is easy to assume that you have covered your field. It may be found, however, 
upon looking up your served and unserved prospects, that you are far from cover- 
ing the field, or anywhere near your maximum possibilities. 

Your office force may seem entirely efficient and as good as it can be. A care- 
ful analysis might show you that it far from such, that many employees are not 
doing their work properly, or not doing the greatest amount possible. You may 
find that service to customers is not as it should be. 

Your policies on superficial examination may seem correct, but if you would study 
them a little more carefully and check them a little more minutely, you might find 
that they are doing you harm in numerous ways. 

Careful analysis of your principles and your work might show you shortcomings 
in many directions, and so on down the line. 

One of the best possible factors in any man is his ability to analyze, to get at 
the fundamental principles, to check business operations and to be absolutely sure 
that when he acts he is as nearly right as possible from every standpoint. 

There is a reason for every good thing that was ever done. You should know 
that reason before you act, and if you cannot find any particular reason, other 
than some personal feeling for anything that you do, that thing had better be left 
undone. 

The ability to study and analyze should be instilled in those under you, as it not 
only gives to them a keener insight into business conditions, business methods and 
business operations, but trains their minds along technical and detail lines which 
unconsciously proves valuable in everything that they do. 

Judgment Generally speaking, a man who is a careful analyst and student, as a matter of 

course, exercises good judgment, for the simple reason that he never acts until 
he has carefully studied every phase of the situation, its underlying principle, 
method of operation and ultimate results. 

Analysis and study has given him a keener insight and better foresight than he 
wpuld otherwise have had, and he is more nearly able to gauge or conjecture the 
ultimate results and final outcome. 

A question of judgment always resolves itself about the final outcome of the 
transaction in consideration, the question always culminating in whether the final 
outcome, in whichever direction judgment is taken, is for the best interests of the 
company. 

51 



In consideration of any transaction, first get to the underlying principles. Very 
often a glowing proposition may be put before you, which, theoretically, is splen- 
did, and from the standpoint of the man who is putting it up to you, there seems 
to be no come-back and no possibility of failure. 

Under the circumstances, if the man who is putting the proposition up to you is 
an enthusiast, you get his enthusiasm, and are easily swept off your feet to 
his viewpoint and his way of argument, without ever investigating to find out if 
it is practical. 

Analysis might show at the very start the underlying principles are wrong, and 
if the underlying principles are wrong, ultimate success can never be obtained. 
Therefore, analysis might prove that, while theoretically the proposition is good, 
practically it is not possible of application in your particular business. 

This is quite often the case in new propositions which are submitted. If the 
proposition cannot be applied practically to your own business, it is of no value 
to you, no matter how splendid it may be theoretically. 

You must judge for yourself, after careful analysis, the underlying principle, 
application, and its possible effect on your customers, or upon whatever it may 
bear. 

Once you feel satisfied in your mind as to what the outcome will be, then it 
becomes your duty to see whether or not the final outcome is going to work for the 
best interests of the company, or its harm. 

This general application should be put to almost any question which comes up 
for your judgment. 

It might even be put in more simple terms, by the example of a question as to 
which exhibitor shall be given a certain service on a certain basis in any town in 
your territory. If two exhibitors are attempting to get service, one on one basis 
and one on the other, the question for you to decide is, not this week, but at the 
end of the year, will the company have benefited more by giving the service to 
this man or to the other ? 

Just such an example of simple judgment was recently placed in the weekly 
bulletin, where a reliable account had signed a year's contract at $25 a week, and 
an unreliable account in that city came in that same day and offered $5 a week 
more for the service. 

The question to decide was whether we could get more out of a reliable account 
at $25 in a year's time, or more out of an unreliable account at $30 in that same 
length of time. The question should have been simple, and it was answered by 
later developments. 

The unreliable account, which was taken, cancelled after two weeks, which means 
that we received just $60 out of that city for our year's service, whereas the reli- 
able account would have kept the service for the entire 52 weeks, and we would 
have received at the end of the year $1,300. 

It is, therefore, quite easy to determine the judgment that the manager should 
have exercised, and the way he should have answered the question for himself 
before dealing with the unreliable exhibitor in this transaction. 

Most transactions always resolve themselves about that kind of a question — 
Which action will make most money for the company in the long run? — and it 
should always be taken into consideration that, in the long run, the most money 

52 



Creative Ideas 



cannot be made for any company except on a basis of fair, square and reliable 
dealings, no matter what financial consideration may be involved. 

The really successful manager must always be one of creative ability. Real, prac- 
tical ideas are possibly the rarest and most valuable things in the world. Cer- 
tain it is that ideas have accomplished more big things than any one other factor 
that could be named. Ideas are generally worth more than money, and often 
more than power. The man who is going to get the most out of his office and 
territory must be the man who can constantly create. 

The film business particularly is one of creative requirements. We have nothing 
really tangible to sell at a set price. That is, we are not handling an article over 
the counter at so much per unit. We are selling an intangible article on the 
strength of drawing power, which may not be the same in the judgment of both the 
buyer and the seller. We are also selling service and co-operation. 

Since such is the case, the development of any specific territory rests entirely 
with the creative ability of the one handling it, combined with the energy and 
judgment put forth in developing it. 

The man who is constantly able to see new possibilities, who is almost daily work- 
ing out new ideas of serving or sales development work or co-operation which 
may add that much business or bring that much greater returns to his exhibitors, 
and consequently to himself, is the man who is going to daily expand his busi- 
ness in new fields and increase the consequent returns. 

No manager should be satisfied, if at the end of the day he has not created 
some real new and valuable idea which will either help expand his business, 
develop his territory, take on new accounts, book slow moving features, 
better his employees, better their working conditions, or improve the service 
which he is giving his customers. Not alone from the standpoint of how 
much it increases the business of that office, but from the fact that such a 
daily operation in creative idea channels, unconsciously develops the facul- 
ties of any man to a point where they move more quickly, grasp more ac- 
curately, and easily bring about a constant flow of ideas, where before this 
faculty was practically minus or very sluggish. 

The man who does not constantly keep his mind alert and working for new 
ideas soon becomes a mechanical clerk. He simply transmits those ideas, 
policies, principles or methods of operation which are put up to him. He 
never develops them, never improves upon them, never expands them and 
never applies them further than they are applied to him. Consequently, he 
is of no more value than an ordinary clerk who is capable of reading in- 
structions and carrying them out. 

The manager is in a position, where both from the standpoint of his employees 
and his customers he must be constantly alert to working out new ideas for 
the betterment of both. 



oresi 



New business getting ideas are particularly valuable to you and the managers 
who have made the greatest success, have been those who have been con- 
stantly awake to grasp new situations and evolve new ideas for putting on 
business where they have never had it before. 

dlit Involved in all of the above qualifications is a constant consideration of fore- 

sight. Every successful business man must to a certain extent be fore- 
sighted, both from within and without his business house. 

He must be foresighted as to the needs of his customers, their desires, con- 
stant changing of the trefid of public wants, their opinions, and therefore 

53 



constant changing possibilities for him and his business. If he is able to 
look ahead and grasp them, at the same time very carefully watching that 
within his business house his employees and their methods are keeping the 
same pace of progress, very often little operations can be looked ahead to 
which will not alone save the company and the employees, but will add much 
to the service of the customer. 

Managers should see that in every department proper foresight is used in 
keeping the material and work of that department far enough in check that 
neither is ever depleted. Many managers have a habit of laying out the work 
of employees to a certain extent for the following day, each evening before 
they go home. Certain it is that a good manager sees that his employees are 
kept busy and work is looked forward to so that no one employee is able to be 
idle one or two hours during the day, while waiting for another employee or 
waiting for work to keep him busy. This is a loss to the concern and has 
anything but a good influence. 

Any stock clerk should so carefully watch his advertising stock that he does 
not wait until the last sheet of advertising has been used before he re-" 
orders. 

No bookkeeper should wait until he is down to his last form before ordering 
new forms from the Home Office. He should consider the fact that it may 
take two or three weeks or a month to obtain these forms from such a dis- 
tance, and he should order in plenty of time, to be sure to see that the new 
supply is in before the old supply is gone. 

This foresight should be practiced in everything that is done, and in every 
department of business operation. 

A manager by being foresighted can see when an exhibitor is weakening and 
there is the possibility of a cancellation. This may be scented from his 
ietters, or from any indications which come to the manager. 

The wise manager on seeing this will not wait until the exhibitor has can- 
celled, and then have to make many times the effort and expenditure to get 
him backj but he will go to that exhibitor's assistance before it occurs to the 
exhibitor that he wants to cancel. If he sees that the exhibitor's business is 
going down, he will offer a few suggestions for building it up, such as 
using certain features, certain advertising, etc. 

Helping Right in line with practical foresight is the careful checking of exhibitor's 

Exhibitors advertising and helping them wherever possible to increase the efficiency 

* i of their advertising to a point where the features are pretty certain to make 

Advertise a success . 

This can best be taken up at its source. That is, when a contract comes into 
the office, very often, if the manager would carefully study the contract 
and bookings, it would be quite apparent to him that the man has not 
ordered enough advertising to successfully exploit the picture or pictures 
which he has booked. A feature may be ever so good, but if the public does 
not know about it, it is worthless. Therefore, it becomes just as important 
a factor in the manager's work to see that the pictures are advertised prop- 
erly as it is to sell the picture originally, for certainly nothing is gained by 
selling a picture which is so poorly advertised that it does not draw any 
returns for the exhibitor, which he will attribute to the quality of the picture. 

Therefore, when contracts or bookings have been sent in from certain locali- 
ties, and you feel certain that the advertising order is not sufficient to bring 
about results, you should get in touch with that exhibitor, and by subtle 

54 



suggestions and examples endeavor to get him to take more advertising or 
advertise in different and varied ways, using certain novelties which are 
bound to attract attention. In fact, no possible opportunity should be missed to 
get that picture before the public in such a way that it will attract a bigger and 
better audience for this exhibitor than he has ever had before. 

A very helpful factor in a manager's make-up is his knowledge or ability along 
advertising lines. If at the start he does not have this, it should be cultivated 
by him. He should be in a position to give help and co-operation to ex- 
hibitors of any locality in which he may be represented along advertising 
lines, which will increase their business, for the success of his work de-' 
pends fully as much upon advertising as selling, since we are in a position 
where our ultimate success results from exhibitors' success and ability to 
bring the public into their theatres on our features. 

The observant manager, if he is not conversant with advertising details, will 
take this up through his contact with exhibitors and many suggestions which 
come up. At the same time, in going about from city to city, he will be con- 
stantly seeing new ideas and novel methods of advertising used by live and 
wide-awake exhibitors. 

Upon the checking of the various salesmen after their trips, ideas will be 
passed to the manager, who in turn can pass them on to other exhibitors, 
and thereby be of material assistance to the men who are booking from 
him. We recently had an inquiry from a certain manager on a situation in 
a town of 100,000 where there were nine up-town theatres and none of them 
making money. It finally developed that the reason why none of them were 
making money was because of all of them were running practically the same 
kind of a show and advertising in the same kind of a half-hearted way, and 
the question of success resolved itself about one theatre going out and 
advertising in a new, different and novel way, so vastly in contrast to any- 
thing clone there before, that it awakened interest in that exhibitor's house, 
in his pictures, and drew an audience of many people who had never been to 
a picture show in that city before. 

This will very often be found to be the case in many cities where the exhibitors 
claim they cannot make good on features, and this again emphasizes that necessity 
for an advertising knowledge on the part of any manager who hopes to develop 
his territory to the utmost. 

Enthusiasm To really get the utmost out of all the qualifications which any man may possess, 

he needs and requires enthusiasm. Nothing is so really contagious as genuine 
enthusiasm. Nothing will so quickly effuse those around you and transfer the 
qualities and principles upon which you work, or which you may be advancing, 
as an enthusiastic belief in those qualities and principles. This applies both to 
exhibitors and to your employees. 

No man can hope to successfully convince an exhibitor of the worth of his goods 
unless he sincerely believes in the goods himself. No man can go ahead and really 
instill his principles and ideas or ideals into the employees working under him 
unless he is an enthusiastic believer in them himself. 

Enthusiasm is a quality which should be developed to its utmost by every man. 

When a man is half-hearted with an exhibitor about his goods, principles and his 
proposition, he cannot hope to get more than a half-hearted reception or a half 
hearted response. 

Any manager who, with his employees, either knocks his concern, makes light of 
certain principles, policies or requirements, and who by his own actions shows 

55 



Promptness 



Honest 

Dealings 



his lack of faith in its merit or his own lack of integrity and high business princi- 
ples, cannot hope to get anything better than that out of any employees he has in 
the office. 

On the other hand, an enthusiastic belief and conviction that his methods, prin- 
ciples and goods are right, would carry just as enthusiastic and convincing a belief 
and conviction in the minds of those with whom he comes in contact along the 
same lines. 

Promptness is a virtue from both a business and personal standpoint, and should 
be practised by every successful business man. It means much from an efficiency 
standpoint, and so far as customers and sales development work is concerned, it 
often spells the success or failure of certain plans or certain business orders. 

Several instances have come up in offices where lack of promptness has caused 
loss of actual bookings. It may be expected when a man has, for instance, writ- 
ten your exchange for a booking on a certain date that he has quite likely written 
a number of other exchanges as well. 

An instance arose in one office where a telegram was received and laid aside until 
the next morning before being answered. The exchange was, therefore, informed 
that the booking had already been made with a competitive firm. 

This is only one illustration of what lack of promptness may do for you in the 
field, and lack of promptness in the office will eventually create, a laxity which 
will make your exchange the actual antithesis of efficiency and good operation. 

The practice of promptness in smaller details will, eventually instill in the em- 
ployees the principle of promptness, which will manifest itself in everything which 
is done. 

It would seem that nothing need be said to any real good or reliable business man 
of to-day with reference to honest dealings. In this competitive, yet co-operative 
age, it must be apparent to every man that no individual or concern can really be 
successful unless their entire principles and operations are those of honest deal- 
ings with their customers and with themselves. 

That individual or that concern which indulges in sharp practice or unreliable 
dealings with their patrons to gain what business they obtain for the moment, 
must eventually feel the effect of the loss of that customer's confidence and his 
refusal to further continue such business transactions. 



'roper Jfrices 



We want honest, reliable, straightforward business dealings with every customer 
in every territory in the United States, and at no time .do we want any unquestion- 
able or even suspicious transactions or handling of any situation in any of our 
business operations. 

It is not necessary to show examples of how much business has been lost in the 
past through unreliable handling of work by employees of small principles, as this 
requirement of our business dealing should be apparent, and, we believe, is a 
desire of all employees at present with the company. 

It is very hard sometimes to establish a proper price for certain features to cer- 
tain exhibitors. The old standard method of setting a price on a film has been 
by the age, but this is obviously unfair to both the exhibitor and the manufacturer. 

Certainly, the age of the film has very little, if any, bearing upon its value, pro- 
viding it is kept in fairly good condition. The value of a film lies in its drawing 
power to the public, and its drawing power first run in a community should be 
practically as great the first day it is released as one year from that date. 

56 



The value of the film is represented in its construction, as to how much interest 
it holds with the public. Certain films will draw enormous crowds, and are, there- 
fore, worth a great deal of money to exhibitors. A film may be perfect from 
an artistic standpoint, but if it will not draw for the customer, it is worth very 
little money to him. 

It, therefore, becomes apparent that, from a fair dealing standpoint, the ques- 
tion of price must be gauged by the value of the film through its drawing power 
to the particular house. 

This is determined also with certain houses by their location and seating capacity. 
Certainly, a house in a crowded uptown section, seating 1,000, can expect, and 
does, draw more people with a certain film than another house in a poorly settled 
neighborhood, with a seating capacity of 200, could ever hope to do. Therefore, 
the film is worth more to the big house than to the little house, because it will 
bring the big house more money. 

This can generally be taken as the reckoning for the value of a film in any house 
in any territory. That is, how much will the film bring in over the box-office win- 
dow of that particular house. 

This resolves itself quite often to a question of judgment and consideration of the 
exhibitor. We want to be fair with exhibitors, and we want them to be fair with 
us. We want as much as they can afford, and no more. It is a serious mistake 
in judgment to ask an exhibitor more than the film can possibly draw for him. 
At the same time, it is unfair to the company to accept less, and it also shows lack 
of managerial ability. 

The manager must himself determine, through careful consideration of the rec- 
ords as they appear in his office, and his knowledge of the customer's business and 
location, as well as by conversation with that exhibitor, just what he can afford 
to pay, and charge him accordingly. If a man can afford to pay $50, we do not 
want to accept $49, and if he can afford to pay only $50, we do not want to ask 
$51. Managers should be particularly careful in this connection. 

Building or A careful analysis and study of the foregoing instructions should make unneces- 

Handling an sar y an y re f erence to building or handling an office. 



Ofti 



ice 



Either building or handling an office resolves itself about the close application 
of the principles and methods outlined above. 

A new man going into an office should first look into the sales development 
work in the territory as first outlined in these pages. Sales development 
work is first and most important because it is the life of the business and 
should be handled first, because development work can be put under way and 
results be coming in, while the mechanical details and efficiency of the 
office are corrected. 

Starting of this sales development work should be handled exactly in ac- 
cordance with instructions given previously. 

After you have this development work under way in the territory as a 
whole, attention can be given to particularly hard individual cases of big 
customers, while at the same time, the employees of the office should be 
carefully considered and the work, if necessary, re-divided, the proper 
methods and systems installed, if not in use, etc. 

Careful consideration of these instructions to managers, bookkeepers, sales- 
men and shipping clerks, explain every method of procedure in order, and the 

57 



use, application and final disposition of every transatction and form which 
comes up in branch office management. 

The manager's important and general duties, those for which he is directly 
responsible, are placed in this division. For the benefit of his careful check- 
ing of forms, any information pertaining to forms can be obtained under the 
subject of bookkeeping which also has partial control of the shipping depart- 
ment. 

All offices have been standardized, and for that reason any manager should 
be able to step in any office at any time, in any part of the United States, 
whether he has ever been there before or not, and not only be able to quickly 
know the methods and details of handling that office, but the forms and in- 
formation there would allow him to intelligently handle the entire territory 
and all the customers in it, to the best interests of the firm. 



58 



Sal 



esmen 



Sales Ability 

Intimate knowledge of the company and goods 
Qualifications Energy 

Creative idea ability 

Honesty 

Reliability 

Advertising ability 

Judgment 

Personality 

Clean-cut appearance 

Politeness and courtesy 

Loyalty 

Ambition 

Promptness 



General Duties 



Honest selling to customers 
Co-operative work with customers 
Advancing business-getting ideas 
Keeping posted on our goods 
Planning local campaigns in advance 
Co-operation with manager 
Following instructions and policies 
Making comprehensive detail reports 
Making economical expenditures 



60 



oaiesmansnip Salesmanship consists largely of making the other man want what you have 

at the price which you consider right for it. This is generally accomplished 
in accordance with whatever the goods being sold may be, in three ways : 
By either creating a personal like and desire for the article, by convincing 
the other man that in taking your particular article he is obtaining the best 
possible value in that line on the market to-day, or by convincing him that 
he can make more money by purchasing your article at the price you ask, 
than he can possibly do from any other like article which he might buy at 
any price. 

In our line, the two latter combine very closely in making the kind of sales- 
men which are permanent and which we want. 

A good salesman can convince an exhibitor that he can make more money on 
our films, either in actual returns or in building up his business generally, 
than he can with any other films which he might purchase on the market} 
to-day at any price. 

No sales can be permanent which are made on personality or the strength 
of personal like alone, and any feature or line of features which may be sold 
a man because he personally happens to like them, is very apt to fall down 
later, when the final returns are not commensurate with the requirements 
from expenditures. 

The salesman who can convince the exhibitor that his goods, at the price he 
asks, will make more money for him than any other goods he might buy, will 
have no difficulty in making a sale and getting that exhibitor's confidence. 

How to Sell The question then arises as to how to convince the exhibitor of the fact that 

Our Goods our goods, at our price, will make more money for him than any other 

features on the market and why, and in order to know and convince the 
exhibitor, the salesman himself must not alone know his goods thoroughly, 
but he must know the company back of him. He must know their principles, 
the policies on which they operate, their basis of production, the men who 
control their destinies, their methods of service and co-operation with cus- 
tomers, goods which are put out, how they are distributed and why they 
mean money for the exhibitor. 

There are certain underlying principles which go into the construction of 
real money making films, and there are certain underlying principles of 
business operations which assure the manufacture of these films and proper 
distribution of them once they are made. Most exhibitors are so well ac- 
quainted with the film business to-day that they recognize these principles 
and the proof of these principles in any concern is convincing enough argu- 
ment to an exhibitor that the goods are right and that they will bring 
returns. 

It must be taken into consideration, however, that there has long been a 
disregard in this business for absolute truth and honest selling, and that 
with the competition existing to-day, many weaker companies or weaker 
salesmen have been inclined to go out and make extravagant statements. 
Therefore, many exhibitors have grown weary of salesmens' promises and 
not inclined to accept them. 

The same claims of superiority which the salesmen of this company have 
made in the morning to an exhibitor may be made over again by a salesman 

61 



from three or four other companies before the day is over. The exhibitor 
then wonders which he shall believe. 

This brings about a condition which particularly prevails in this business, 
and which is a good factor in any business — that of requiring proof of sales- 
men's statements when they are made. 

A mere statement that these underlying principles exist in this company does 
not necessarily convince the exhibitor. Therefore, proof should be given 
by salesmen at any time that any statement whatsoever is made, and no 
statement at any time should be made, no claim advanced, which cannot be 
substantiated and proven. 

There is for that reason being compiled, for the use of salesmen, sales books 
which will contain proofs of these statements by a reliable series of facts 
and figures to support our point of superiority. 

Even without these books, salesmen should grasp and know these proofs, and 
once they are able to support their claims by facts, it may be generally expected 
that an exhibitor would be convinced of the merit of our goods, the strength of 
our company and the ability of our features to bring him success, if we can 
bring out and prove the following nine points of superiority : 

1. Our manufacturing interests are made up of the livest and most successful 
theatrical producers. 

2. Our list of plays are drawn from resources of these producers which are the 
largest existing on the market to-day, and at the time of their presentation to the 
public, contained more real successes with fewer failures than any other individual 
or group of theatrical producers. 

6. Our studios have the most capable directors of any manufacturing unit in 
this business, every one of them having proven successes to their credit, and not 
one failure or possible failure in the lot. 

4. Our stars are most popular, and the biggest money-makers in the feature field 
of to-day. 

5 Our advertising is so superior, so different, so complete and full of drawing 
power, that proper application by the exhibitor gives him the greatest possible 
chance of getting our features before all the public and drawing big houses in 
return. 

6. The men back of this company and its organization is so successful and com- 
plete that exhibitors can be assured of real co-operation, superior service, prac- 
tical marketing and manufacturing. 

7. The financial interests back of this company and its financial strength, at this 
time, shows conclusively its permanence and its ability to go ever further in 
bringing to the exhibitor the very best that is possible in money-making features. 

8. The best houses in the United States are using our features, and have found 
them successful. 

9. And most important is the fact that testimonial letters will show that our 
features have been successful, have made money, and have built up the business 
of houses, large and small, in all sorts of communities, under all sorts of condi- 
tions, in every part of the United States. 

62 



Honest Dealings 



It is only through such honest dealings and such reliable selling to customers, 
making no false promises, making no extravagant statements which cannot be 
backed up, that salesmen can really hope to win, for the simple reason that ours 
is a come-back proposition. 

We are in touch with exhibitors week in and week out, year in and year out, and 
a sale which is made on the strength of a false promise or extravagant statement 
will only have a short life. Short-lived contracts are not to the credit of any 
salesman. 

This also brings out the fact that a salesman is not through when he has the con- 
tract signed. He must not only co-operate further with the exhibitor, but he must 
see to it that the exchange lives up to every promise of service which he has made. 
This will be brought out later, when dealing with salesmen's reports, but the 
principle is brought out here to emphasize that if the salesman does not back up 
his work, he does not fulfil his promise. If he does not help the exchange back 
up everything that he has said, and give to the exhibitor everything that he has 
ordered, all the effort which he has put forth in selling this man is going to be 
destroyed, and future endeavors to gain the confidence and business of this ex- 
hibitor will meet with reversals, instead of success. 



Proper Selling 




To know how to sell an exhibitor is only half the battle. The salesman must know, 
or rather must study out in each individual case how to sell him properly and 
permanently. This involves close study of the situation, close study of the theatre 
and its affairs, its drawing power, its community, and all the factors in its daily 
operation. 

A salesman on entering any town, if he is not familiar, should ascertain from 
outside inquiry as to the financial standing and responsibility of the various ex- 
hibitors and the merits of their houses. Salesmen should always endeavor to get 
into the best house in any city, not alone from an advertising value to the com- 
pany, but because dealings are always more reliable and satisfactory. 

Once decided upon the house and proper salesmanship, greatest care should be 
taken that the exhibitor is sold in accordance with what he can afford to pay. He 
should not be asked to pay more than his business warrants, nor, from the com- 
pany's standpoint, can we accept less. Real solid and reliable salesmen will always 
see to it that a fair and equitable price is received. 

Many salesmen are only order takers. They go in, lay their goods before the 
customer, and let him do the talking, the knocking or boosting, and set his own 
price. This we can do very readily by mail, without a salesman. It is not fair to 
the company, and is a waste of money. 

On the other hand, many salesmen, in their enthusiasm, overestimate the possi- 
bilities of the features in that particular city, and carry the exhibitor away with 
their enthusiasm, thereby getting him to pay a price which he really cannot afford 
to pay, and which later on brings about a cancellation. 

Just as a salesman should sell at the proper price, so should he make sure that 
he has sold the right goods to the right house. It certainly would be the height 
of poor judgment to try to sell artistic features, based on some literary classic, to 
a man who is catering to a class of people which demand cheaply sensational plays, 
and vice versa. 

Salesmen should very carefully analyze the situation, the house with which they 
are dealing, and the type of people to which it caters, and make quite sure that, in 
selling that house, they sell the exhibitor the right service, and then see to it 
that the branch office is properly instructed as to the type of feature and type of 

63 



Helping 

Exhibitors 

Advertise 



Co-operation 
with Exhibitors 



service which should be supplied that man, in order to insure the greatest possible 
success. 

Another very important phase of selling work is to co-operate with the exhibitor 
and see to it that the feature, once taken on, is properly advertised and so placed 
before the public that it will draw the greatest crowds for the exhibitor. 

No feature is of value, no matter how good it may be, unless the public knows 
about it and has a desire to see it. It, therefore, becomes just as important a 
part of the salesman's work to see that the features are properly advertised as it 
is to see that they are properly sold. In fact, no sale can be permanent for the 
salesman unless the proper advertising is done, and the proper interest awakened. 

Primarily, in taking a contract, the salesman should see to it that the man is 
ordering enough advertising to properly advertise the feature in his particular 
locality or city. If it is quite apparent to the salesman that insufficient advertis- 
ing is being ordered, he may, by subtle suggestions and examples, show the ex- 
hibitor what others have done, and be able to persuade him to order more adver- 
tising, and to exploit the feature in a more forceful, better way than he had ex- 
pected to do. 

Here, again, the salesmanship comes into play in suggesting to the exhibitor new 
ways and means, novel ideas, forceful channels of attracting the public's attention, 
which the exhibitor himself probably never thought of. 

Advertising ability and advertising knowledge are extremely important factors in 
the work of any salesman, and very often the success or failure of a feature 
depends upon the ability of the salesman to suggest to the exhibitor, or influence 
him to a greater or less degree, to advertise along new and novel channels, in such 
a manner that added interest is aroused in the feature and in the house, and added 
patronage drawn thereby. 

Salesmen, therefore, should make it their business to pick up new ideas from 
each house into which they go, and these should be transmitted to exhibitors with 
whom they come in contact, in connection with advertising our goods ; and no 
stone should be left unturned to suggest new means of awakening the public inter- 
est to the merit of our features. 

A salesman is very often able to sell an exhibitor our entire service through 
an advertising campaign which he may plan for him, which will show him 
the possibilities of getting money on our features which he has never seen 
before. 

As previously pointed out, no features are good unless properly exploited, 
and if it takes an idea to make the exhibitor see the value of the feature, if 
that idea properly handled will make the feature of value in that city, then 
"that idea should be worked out in every detail and placed before the exhibitor 
in such a way that he will carry out the detail operations connected with 
it and thereby insure the success of the feature once he has booked it. 

It has been found very profitable for salesmen to become acquainted with 
the newspaper men in the various cities which they go into, as in this way 
the theatre running our features often gets publicity which it would other- 
wise be impossible to obtain, just adding so much to the drawing power 
and just so much more insuring the success of the man who is running them, 
and consequently permanence of your customer. 

Just as it is essential that the exhibitor be aided in his advertising work, 
so is it quite important that co-operation should be given that exhibitor in 
every other way possible. 

64 



Planning 

Campaigns 



The salesman should rarely hit a theatre or city where he cannot pick up 
an idea, be it ever so small. Even in the smallest and poorest conducted 
houses, a man may be operating along some line in a way that is really 
profitable and different. An observant salesman will pick up this new idea 
and other valuable ideas as he goes along, and will transmit them to ex- 
hibitors in varous parts of the country. 

This will win the respect and confidence of the exhibitor, because all good 
men in business are looking for improvement and are always glad to receive 
suggestions which will mean the betterment of their business or their work- 
ing conditions. 

If you have helped better the exhibitor running your goods, you have in- 
creased his chance to make a success with them and at the same time have 
established a co-operative spirit with that exhibitor which cannot fail to 
work to your own interests in the long run. 

Sometimes little ideas are picked up by which screens can be bettered. 
Maybe some man is running an unusual contest that is getting him results. 
Maybe some man uses a certain kind of oil which seems best for projector 
machines. All these and other helps should be passed along to the various 
exhibitors. Some salesmen are even familiar with machines, and they help 
exhibitors perfect certain parts, etc. 

This all goes a long way toward gaining the confidence and permanence of 
the customer, which in the end reflects back to the salesman. 

Just as the Division Manager and Branch Manager should plan campaigns 
for their territories, so should the salesman plan campaigns for his route 
and outline in advance his campaign of operation with every exhibitor upon 
whom he is going to call. He should never go into a man unprepared, both 
as to facts and details concerning our past dealings with that exhibitor, and 
also with a general plan in his mind as to how he is going to sell that 
customer. 



One successful salesman in the West has made a practice of each night 
looking over his route sheet for the next day, determining on what cus- 
tomers he is going to call, their peculiarities, conditions surrounding them, 
location, class of service which they should use, proposition which they 
would consider, and carefully planning just how he will operate to secure 
an order on a reliable basis from every customer whom he will visit. 

He goes into that man with a definite plan and a definite proposition. He 
is far more prepared than the salesman who hardly knows on whom he 
is going to call, until he gets into the office of the manager, and the chances 
are ten to one that he will meet with success. 



Enth 



usiasm 



Preparedness is half the battle, and at no time, in any capacity, should any 
business man be unprepared for a situation which he is going to meet. 

At no point in the organization is enthusiasm quite so essential or quite 
so effective as with the salesman. 



Enthusiasm moves the world and an enthusiastic salesman means an en- 
thusiastic exhibitor, and an enthusiastic exhibitor means an enthusiastic 
public, which spells success for both our customer and ourselves. 

It is possible for salesmen to mistake enthusiasm and in the place of a 
genuine, sincere belief in their goods and their proposition, they put forth 

65 



wild and rash promise. This only harms the salesman and the company, 
and it should never at any time be permitted and should not be confused 
with a genuine, sincere, deep rooted, enthusiastic belief that his goods are 
the best value on the market, that his proposition is absplutely right, and 
that his company is the foremost in the field. 

Good salesmen have an undying fund of enthusiasm and nothing can dampen 
or lessen it. The most aggravating customers, the most vicious knock, 
the hardest prospect, or the most antagonistic listener cannot wilt his 
optimism nor his conviction that he is right. Eventually, his unchecked 
enthusiasm must transfer itself to the man he is talking to and leave him 
in as fully convinced a frame of mind as the salesman has been himself. 

It is when the salesman begins to lose enthusiasm that he begins to lose his 
ability, for unconsciously as he becomes disheartened, the exhibitor likewise 
loses his interest, loses his faith and any conviction which he might have 
had that our proposition was the right one for him. 

The salesman who comes in half-hearted, who forces his conversation, who 
has no belief or faith in his goods or company, cannot convince the exhibitor 
to have what he himself does not have. 

This should be recognized as one of the great principles of salesmanship, 
and no man can be really successful in selling without it. It should be 
cultivated if it is not at present, and the more it is cultivated along the 
right lines, the more apt the salesman is to make a success of the work he 
is in. 

Energy Energy is one of the big factors in the success of any salesman in any line 

to-day. Heavy competition has left no field where selling is easy, or where 
orders roll in to any great extent, for the salesman will find that he is up 
against a veritable army of solicitors from other firms, and if he is to get 
more than his share, if he is to be successful in his line, he must be 
energetic and always a little ahead of the other fellows. 

Energy in any line of business, or in any work which is being done is a 
glowing qualification. It cannot but help to assist in that work and its 
presence should be developed in every man, whether in selling or in any 
other line. 

Analysis and Necessary in all operations heretofore described is careful, balanced judg- 

T Adme t ment and the ability to analyze everything which the salesman does or is 

g about to do. 

Careful analysis should be practiced before any step is taken. The mere 
surface should not be skimmed, decision should not be made at a first 
glance, but deep study to get at the underlying principles, methods of opera- 
tion and underlying results should be made in every transaction and every 
situation before it is concluded. Just like a microscopical test in science 
will always bring out lots of points which were not apparent on the surface 
and disclose startling factors which entirely alter the situation and its 
future results, so will this process in your work, .show you all there is in 
your proposition and give you a clearer gauge as to ultimate results. 

As outlined previously, no good thing was ever done without a reason, nor 
will any good thing ever be done without a reason, nor should any man do 
anything unless he knows the reason and has carefully studied it out. 

Every transaction should be carefully dissected and gone into, and judgment 
exercised. After a careful study, the chances are very much in favor of the 

66 



right result and the right action on the part of the man who has done the 
analyzing. 

A careful analyst is generally a man of sober-balanced judgment, because he knows 
every phase of the situation, he knows the underlying principle and ultimate 
result before he makes a decision, and he bases his judgment upon the thought 
of which action would eventually mean most to the company, or the ultimate out- 
come, and how it would affect the company's business operations and their finan- 
cial standing. 

'Pact Little reference should be required to the necessity for diplomacy and tact in 

handling customers. No salesman can be successful who adopts an antagonistic 
attitude towards his customers. No salesman can be successful who allows his 
temper to rule him, or who is constantly taking personal exception to the business 
arguments as placed before him by the buyer. 

It is quite true that salesmen meet men who are antagonistic. He may even meet 
with some men who are unreasonable, and, in fact, almost nasty in their treatment. 

However, the salesman should remember that this is not a personal matter, but 
the company's affair, and any reference which such men make, or any attitude 
which they adopt, should not be taken from a personal standpoint, or replied to 
from that standpoint. 

The best way to meet such a man is with tact and diplomacy, and from the very 
softening influence which is thus exerted, the trend of the customer's own attitude 
will be changed, and the possibilities of success become far greater than if the 
salesman himself in turn became antagonistic, or independent, or arbitrary in his 
treatment of the customer. 

Salesmen s Salesmen should realize the value of properly filling out daily reports and making 

Reports the proper records of their sales when they have been completed. 

Co-operation between the salesman and the branch is just as essential as co- 
operation between the exhibitor and the salesman. 

From the exhibitor's standpoint, no detail should be omitted as to what he has 
ordered, or what he wants, for if you promise him, for instance, certain paper, 
and you do not put it down, in which event the branch does not send it, that ex- 
hibitor is going to have a certain hard feeling toward the company, and you will 
be the sufferer in your business dealings with that exhibitor. At the same time, 
the company will suffer through loss of that exhibitor's confidence, and possibly 
his business. 

Care should be taken primarily to see to it that you have obtained all the orders 
and requirements of the exhibitor, so that the branch can intelligently handle the 
situation after they have received your report. It should be remembered that you 
will probably not be in the branch when the shipment is made, nor be in the 
branch city, so that questions can be asked of you as to what the exhibitor wants, 
what kind of features to give him, or what kind of features he uses, etc. There- 
fore, you should recognize how essential it is for your records to be complete, 
and that full and intelligent information be given the branch regarding any book- 
ings you send in. 

Equally as important is the proper record of your daily reports when you have 
not booked a man. These daily reports are gotten out for the distinct purpose 
of allowing the manager to co-operate with the salesmen to secure business which 
the salesman may have missed. 

This report, form 4-D, is as simple as it can possibly be made, in view of the 
information that is necessary to the manager that he can co-operate properly with 

67 



you. Blank spaces have been provided which should be filled out; then, in the 
space for remarks, you should state why you were not able to book the exhibitor, 
giving a detailed report covering the situation. The exact objections of the ex- 
hibitor to booking should be given, and the exact conditions surrounding the situa- 
tion should be outlined, so that the Manager may endeavor by letter to further 
convince the exhibitor where you have failed. 

It is quite possible that you have overlooked some point, or perhaps you were not 
feeling well that day, or you might have found the exhibitor antagonistic, where a 
letter from the Manager may have effect, or at least pave a way for a surer book- 
ing from him on your return trip. 

With this company's methods of continually hammering at one spot until it is 
broken down, the Manager endeavors to follow up your work and keep you 
before your exhibitors, so that you always have the greatest opportunity of get- 
ting results ; but he cannot do this unless he has intelligent information as to the 
exhibitor's requirements and surrounding conditions, in order that these may be 
taken into consideration in his personal correspondence follow-up work. 

Economical Economy is both a personal and business virtue, and every salesman should rec- 

Expenditurea ognize that it is just as vital to the company, just as important, to economize in 

expenditures as it is to put on new business. A salesman makes just as much for 
the company when he saves $10 a week as when he puts on a $10 account. 

Salesmen should further recognize the fact that, in traveling at the company's 
expense, they are spending someone else's money, under which circumstance they 
should always spend carefully and efficiently. 

We expect our salesmen to live as other commercial salesmen do, not cheaply 
nor shabbily ; neither as a retired merchandise prince might travel over the 
country. 

In every city will be found good, reliable commercial hotels run at reasonable 
rates. We expect our salesmen to stop at these hotels and to live exactly as they 
would live if they were spending their own money. 

It has been proven, in various parts of the United States, that salesmen can live 
at a daily average expenditure of $2.50 per day. 

This is true of salesmen in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City, 
Denver, Omaha, Chicago, Buffalo, Dallas, Cleveland and Indianapolis, who for 
several months have averaged from $2.25 to $2.75 per day for living expenses. 

This so thoroughly covers and represents the country that it shows there are 
practically no branch territories which require higher average expenditures. Of 
course, some days salesmen will spend more ; but, on the other hand, there are days 
when he will spend less, as he will frequently be in small towns, where the hotel 
rates are much lower. 

The value of a salesman does not lie so much in how much business he brings in 
as in how much business he brings in at the least cost, and the most valuable sales- 
man is the one who brings in the most business at the least cost, giving us the 
greatest net profit. 

Business is of no value if it has cost us all of our profit to get it, and if two 
salesmen in any one office bring in the same amount of business, the one who is 
bringing this business in at the least expense is considered the most efficient. 

Salesmen should recognize just how the virtue of economy increases their effi- 
ciency so far as the company is concerned, and makes them more valuable, as 
well as worthy of greater consideration for advancement. 

68 



It must be assumed that when a salesman cannot so regulate his expenditures 
on the road as to live as economically as other salesmen, he would not be able to 
regulate the expenditures of a branch, and in considering a salesman for promo- 
tion, this would weigh quite heavily against him. 

It is not the intention of the company to be small in this matter, but salesmen 
should stop to consider that if each branch saves $10 a week on salesmen's ex- 
penses, at the end of a year the World Film Corporation as a whole will have 
saved $12,000. If each salesman will look at the matter in this light, he will readily 
realize just how much the saving of a few dollars each week on salesmen's ex- 
penses means to the company as a whole. 

That is why efficiency and economy in expenditures has been asked in each depart- 
ment, and it should be just as readily recognized and readily adhered to by sales- 
men as anyone else. 

Since it has been proven that salesmen all over the country can live on an 
average expenditure of $2.50 per day, any salesman who is spending an 
average of more than that is considered as getting so much more salary. 

That is, if two salesmen are getting the same salary, and one is averaging 
$2.50 per day, while the other is averaging $3.50, the one spending $3.50 
is considered as getting so much more salary per week, and this will be 
taken into consideration at any time that he may be looking for an increase 
or for advancement, and it is also weighed against his selling work. 

Salesmen should look at this matter in the proper light and realize what 
efficiency and economical expenditure means from the company's stand- 
point. 

It should hardly be necessary to comment on the fact, at this time, as all 
good salesmen recognize it, that in this day and age of the world, it is not 
necessary to entertain or get customers intoxicated in order to get their 
business. Such a method of getting business is not practical" nor desirable 
from any standpoint. 

In the first place, this company does not want such business nor such 
methods used, and it will not permit any such operations on the part of its 
salesmen. 

The good showman of to-day does not book features because a friend of his 
is offering them, or because he has been given a big dinner or bought a few 
drinks, but because he thinks that those features will make more money for 
him than any other features on the market. 

Therefore, entertainment not only gains the salesman nothing, but for the 
most part it weakens our proposition, and for that reason we will never 
at any time O. K. any expenditures for entertainment on the part of our 
salesmen. 



69 



Bookkeepers 



Qualifications Accounting ability 

Honesty 
Accuracy 
Reliability 

Ability to handle details 
Judgment 
Tact 

Politeness 
Courtesy 
Loyalty 
Promptness 

General Duties Careful handling of auditing forms. 

Careful and accurate dealings with customers 
Tact in handling customers' complaints 
Close adherence to instructions 
Co-operative work with other employees 
Careful check of details 



71 



Bookkeeping 
Responsibility 



Lccuracy 



Service to 
Customers 



Home OWice 
Forms 



Bookkeepers hold a particularly responsible position in this company, both 
as pertains to the company's affairs and the customers with whom they are 
doing business. 

From the company's standpoint, particularly since it is a corporation with 
certain legal requirements as to reports, a considerable amount of accurate 
detail is necessary in addition to the usual bookkeeping requirements. 

From the customer's standpoint, the bookkeeper plays a rather important 
part in the service which he renders the customer, for if the bookkeeper does 
not accurately perform his service, he is a weak link in the particularly 
strong chain which this company maintains, for the almost perfect service 
which it endeavors to give to the customers with whom it does business. 

It is naturally understood that a bookkeeper must be accurate. We assume 
of course that any bookkeeper, before he enters our employ is experienced in 
general bookkeeping and accounting work. Beyond that, if his reports 
are not accurate to the Home Office, unlimited loss may be brought about 
in uncharged service, and unlimited expense may be incurred in checking 
back to right whatever discrepancies may have occurred, and costly con- 
fusion will have been brought about both in the branch and the Home 
Office. 

If the bookkeeper is not accurate in so far as dealings with our exhibitors 
are concerned, not only may we lose business through lack of charge, but 
we may also lose business through lack of accuracy, and possibly errone- 
ous billings and other confusion brought about. 

From the customer's standpoint, perfect bookkeeping service is comprised of 
accurate billings rendered promptly and a perfect accounting kept of the 
customer's transactions at all times. To give perfect service to a customer, 
very close co-operation is necessary with the shipping department, to make 
sure that nothing is billed to the customer that has not been shipped, or that 
nothing is shipped to a customer which has not been billed. Here again 
the bookkeeper assumes a certain responsibility in checking to see that 
there is no laxity in the shipping department which permits of any service 
or advertising going out without the proper records for it, which in turn 
come to the bookkeeper for charge. 

It should be quite apparent that if an exhibitor has ordered certain adver- 
tising which he failed to get, and is consequently embittered over this lack 
of service, that his failure to receive this will simply be brought to his mind 
again and his bitterness probably doubled should he receive a bill for that 
advertising which he did not get, in addition to not having had the use of it. 

This .is only one of several ways in which accurate billings by the book- 
keeper can be of material aid to the branch in keeping customers on their 
books, and this instance can be exemplified by many others which come 
up in the daily routine of bookkeeping work. 

The bookkeeper is particularly responsible to the Home Office and must 
recognize his responsibility from that standpoint. 

With twenty-three branches throughout the United States, all of them at 
such distance that direct touch or supervision cannot be hoped for from the 
Home Office, the need for accurate and intelligent detail reports should be 
apparent. 

Just as the bookkeeper of any branch must fully cover and intelligently 

72 



check detail operations of that branch, so must the Home Office intelligently 
cover and carefully check the detail operations of twenty-three branches, 
and if the branch bookkeeper finds it hard, or it keeps him busy covering his 
own small territory, he should stop to consider how much more difficult it 
is to control and check twenty-three branches, located at such a distance. 

A corporation like this, in keeping close check on auditing work, cannot permit the 
slightest looseness or laxity or a discrepancy in any one of the branches, for such 
discrepancies would so disrupt the working methods and systems of the organ- 
ization as a whole, that unlimited expense, confusion and time would have to be 
consumed in properly adjusting the difference under consideration. 

That is why detail forms have been supplied, and each bookkeeper should remem- 
ber that his first duty and his first consideration is the proper handling of re- 
ports and the forms which are provided. 

He should recognize that these forms have a purpose, or they never would have 
been put out by the Home Office ; and while we want branch bookkeepers to 
know their purposes and reasons, at the same time it is not for him to ask why 
he should give the exact details which are required on these forms. 

It should be apparent that in a corporation, with certain legal requirements and 
with reports to make to stockholders and others, where detailed reports are called 
for, many details are required by the Home Office Auditing Department which 
may not be important to the branch bookkeeper. In fact, these details may not 
have any bearing on the branch at all. Therefore, if some of the reasons for 
these forms are not clear to any bookkeeper, they should bear in mind that each 
form has a distinct purpose which is very vital to the interests of this company. 

Any bookkeeper who particularly desires to know the reason for any parts of the 
forms which they do not clearly see can very easily ascertain this information 
by writing to the Home Office for an explanation. 

The bookkeeper should recognize that it is his first duty to give to the Home 
Office the exact and accurate details which are called for on every form and in 
every transaction, and every transaction should be carried on and completed 
exactly in accordance with the systems, requirements and instructions of the 
Home Office. 

Bookkeepers should get away from the idea that any of these forms are red tape. 
As stated above, they all have a purpose which is vital to the interests of the 
company. 

Bookkeepers Every bookkeeper should remember that he is bonded by the company, and that 

Liability he * s liable for any discrepancy which occurs through his handling of an account. 

We do not want to infer here that there is the slightest feeling on the part of 
the Home Office employees as to our bookkeepers not acting in accordance with 
strict, honest business policies ; but what we particularly want to point out at 
this time is the danger and liability of situations arising which might put the 
bookkeeper in a bad light, simply through his laxity, or his failure to recognize 
the necessity of fulfilling all requirements as made by the Home Office. 

In many offices even the manager himself has been apt to look upon some busi- 
ness forms as red tape, and, therefore, disregarded these forms and disregarded 
the Home Office instructions as to handling some certain transactions. This may 
be applied to giving away paper, handling money, cash advances, etc. 

For instance, there has been in the past a laxity in the handling of petty cash 
and keeping the proper records ; also a laxity in making cash advances. These 
bookkeepers have been perfectly honest in their transactions, but have over- 
looked the very forms which we require, and overlooked making their accounting 

73 



Honesty 



Tact 



to the Home Office ; also not giving the required records to satisfy our auditing 
department as to how the money had been spent. 

It should be remembered that at the end of the year Certified Public Accountants 
are brought in from the outside to go over all of our accounts, which must be 
certified to stockholders, and they will not certify any account without the proper 
sustaining records. Therefore, you will see that even if the Home Office Audit- 
ing Department has been satisfied that these transactions were perfectly honor- 
able, they could not possibly pass them through their books without themselves 
being liable later on, on account of their work being audited and checked. 

Therefore, it has put this bookkeeper in the light of, practically, not laxity, but 
crookedness. 

We are quite sure that no bookkeeper wants to be regarded in that light, and. 
therefore, they should follow all instructions as set forth to the letter. 

It is also advisable that each bookkeeper study very carefully and minutely every 
form and every transaction as it pertains to the Home Office, and insist that these 
various requirements be adhered to by anyone about the office in any transaction 
that may effect the bookkeeping records. 

The branch manager should particularly leave it up to the bookkeeper to handle 
all such requirements, he merely checking to see that the work is being done right. 

Little need be said regarding this subject at this or any other time, as certainly 
everyone recognizes that it is one of the principal requisites in any line of busi- 
ness. In the present day and age of the world, few men with good common 
sense think they can ever get along in any line without strict honesty and the 
most honorable and upright dealings. In bookkeeping duties it is particularly 
necessary, and should not be deviated from in any shade or sense of the word. 

Bookkeepers are placed in a position where tact and diplomacy is especially 
needed. Those customers who pay their bills personally generally make that an 
opportunity to announce their displeasure or ill-feeling, if such they have. 

The bookkeeper is then in a position to either pacify and help keep the business 
of the customer, or to antagonize him, and possibly ruin any chance of future 
business. 



Co-operation 



It would be well for bookkeepers to remember that even the best bookkeeper and 
accountant may be of no value to an office if he is not tactful and diplomatic 
in his handling of customers. Crude, ill-mannered, antagonistic, arbitrary or inde- 
pendent bookkeepers can do considerably more harm from a sales standpoint 
than any good which they may be doing from a bookkeeping standpoint. 

A smile, a pleasant word, a few tactful or diplomatic expressions, or referring 
this antagonistic customer to the manager, may calm him, or at least it will put 
him in a position where he can go to the manager with his complaint and have 
it smoothed out. Even if there is no inclination on the part of the exhibitor to 
take up the ill-feeling further, the bookkeeper should not allow the exhibitor 
to go out of the office if he is in such a frame of mind until the manager has had 
a chance to speak to him and pacify him. 

It is not only important that the bookkeeper should not antagonize him further, 
but that he should see to it that he leaves the office with a kindly feeling toward 
the company. 

All branch employees should recognize the value and necessity for co-operation, 
both with other employees and departments about the office and with the Home 
Office. 

74 



No real work can be accomplished in any organization or any office without the 
proper co-operation of the various units of that organization. With any one 
member of that organization pulling apart, not only is his own effort lessened, but 
he is probably pulling against the united efforts of all others, thus retarding their 
work and their accomplishments just that much. 

Co-operation not only means easier work for the individual but everyone else 
around him. The bookkeeper's work very often brings him in contact with 
many other departments in the office. If he is in close accord and harmony 
with those departments, if he is going just a little bit out of his way to 
exchange service with them, to make sure that the work as it bears on 
his department is fully understood and fully taken care of, he is going td 
attend to his own work better and more intelligently, and also help the 
work of other departments as well. 

He comes very largely in contact with the shipping department, and if he 
is working in close harmony the utmost results can be obtained as far as 
service to his customers and accurate reports to the Home Office are con- 
cerned. 

On the other hand, he comes in contact with the manager on questions of 
judgment,^ handling collections and other transactions in holding 
the customers' accounts. If he really works with the manager on this he 
will give the most reliable service to the customer, whereas, if he tries to 
work it alone, very often possibly making mistakes, he not only hurts his 
standing, but he hurts the company as a whole. 

From the Home Office standpoint it is possible for him to lessen their labors 
considerably by co-operating in any way that he may be called upon, or it is pos- 
sible. If by giving a little added information which is not called for on the 
forms, he makes them more clear, or helps the Home Office work, he should be 
glad to do so. There should never be a feeling of antagonism between the 
Home Office and the branch because they are so closely affiliated and are part 
of one family, and because the Home Office is here to help the branches in their 
work and in any other way possible. 

Therefore, if anything comes in from the Home Office which is not quite clear, 
there should not be an inclination to call it red tape, or useless detail, or to throw 
it aside, stating that it is not understood. A little more time should be given 
it and it should be carefully studied out. If after it is carefully studied out it is 
not thoroughly understood, even as to the smallest detail, the Home Office should 
be written for a further explanation, which will gladly be given. 

On the other hand, if the Home Office receives certain reports from the branch 
which are not quite clear, instead of immediately sending the reports back to the 
branch for an explanation, a deeper study will be made and possibly the whole 
matter will be adjusted in the Home Office without calling upon the branch 
manager for further information in connection with that particular form. 

Co-operation is the life of any business and no business can get the maximum 
results without co-operation from every employee. 

Collections The bookkeeper should hold himself quite as responsible for the collection of 

moneys due the company, as he does for the accurate accounting therefor. 

The bookkeeper is in a position where he can keep in very close touch with the 
credit of any customer on our books and the manner in which he is meeting his 
obligations. 

The bookkeeper should watch closely to see that the customer is properly meet- 
ing all obligations and if there is any inclination on the part of an exhibitor to 
fall back, he should be quickly checked before the aggravation becomes too great. 

75 



In our business, never at any time should we have more than one account out- 
standing on our books for any one man, and the principle of operation is really 
"Cash in Advance." Therefore, the bookkeeper should be careful to see that 
billings go out sufficiently in advance to give the customer time to have received 
it and send in his payment in advance. If the exhibitor fails to do this, he 
should be promptly notified before the end of each week. If this does not bring 
a response a tactful letter should follow, and if necessary a stronger one at a 
slightly later date. 

The question of collections is a delicate one and requires deep thought and 
study. The writing of collection letters is particularly an art and any bookkeeper 
can perfect himself along this line by reference to a great many publications 
which are issued on the subject and which contain numerous samples and 
suggestions. 

It is always necessary to collect an account without antagonizing the exhibitor 
to a point where future business dealings are destroyed. This can be done by 
diplomatic handling and a systematic follow up of collection work to keep all 
accounts properly paid up. 

Payment of bills with a great many people becomes a habit. Some men get 
into the habit of paying bills promptly and others long after they are due, simply 
because they are allowed to do so, and it is up to the bookkeeper to see that 
exhibitors get into the habit of paying their bills with us in advance. By the 
bookkeeper co-operating with the manager, they can together work out systems 
for the handling of this collection work and getting the best results out of it. 

At any rate, never at any time should a bookkeeper allow an account to become 
more than two weeks old, nor more than one show in arrears. It is generally 
the old accounts, so far back that the details have been forgotten by the man, 
which cause disputes and controversies. 

If the bookkeeper will promptly call all delinquent accounts to the attention of 
the manager, far greater results will be obtained in collection work with a better 
effect from a sales standpoint on the office itself. 

Explanation Following we will endeavor to explain in detail every form which the book- 

r p keeper handles in exactly the sequence with which he comes in contact with it, 

starting with the taking of a contract from the customer until the final payment 

has been made and the account wiped off the local books by being forwarded to 

the Home Office. 

Here again we must emphasize the necessity for carefully following out of all 
forms and careful checking of everything that is done. 

In getting up our annual statement of net profits for the year which has just 
ended, it cost us several hundred dollars more than it should have, also required 
additional people and we were placed in a very embarrassing position by the 
fact that on account of laxity and improper handling of these forms, the records 
of the Home Office and the branch offices failed to check in almost every 
instance, and particularly was the example most glaring when we endeavored to 
accurately account for stock which had been sent to the branches in accordance 
with their reports on the disposition of same. In one particular item alone there 
was a difference of several thousand dollars between what the Home Office 
books showed was shipped to the branches and what they still reported on hand. 

This would indicate that the branches disposed of a great deal of stock without 
the proper records. It should be remembered that any time a branch is shipped 
any stock, even down to a lead pencil, that branch is charged, and that charge 
remains on our books until an accounting has been made of the disposition of 
the material, either by depreciation or actual disposition. 

Here again the bookkeeper places himself in a bad light and possibly responsible 
under his bond, for losses which apparently have been sustained, and he should 
again realize the necessity, for his own standing, to accurately fill out and for- 
ward every form and every requirement involved in any transaction in his office. 

76 



Shipping Clerks 



Qualifications Accuracy 

Reliability 

Knowledge Shipping Conditions and express connections 
Ability to handle details 
Honesty 
Judgment 
Tact 
Loyalty 
Politeness 
Courtesy 
Promptness 



General Duties 



Accurate service to customers 
Careful handling of forms 
Careful checking of stock 
Keeping stock in good condition 
Careful checking of details 
Diplomatic handling of customers 



78 



Service to 
Customers 



Systematic 
Accuracy 



Daily Reminder 



Shipping clerks should recognize the fact that they are the pivot of the entire 
branch business, so far as mechanical service to customers is concerned, and 
from that standpoint, the shipping clerk holds a particularly responsible posi- 
tion in retaining customers' confidence and business. 

Outside of the actual sale and obtaining the contract, his is probably the most 
important work connected with our entire operations, for the simple reason that 
upon him depends delivery of the things which have been ordered, and upon his 
prompt and efficient delivery depends the success with which they meet from 
a customer's standpoint. We expect our salesmen to get new business and we 
expect our shipping department to be very largely responsible for its retention 
by the giving of perfect, accurate and reliable service to the customers on any- 
thing whatsoever which may have been contracted for by the sales department. 

To the experienced shipping clerk it is a matter of record that poor service has 
often caused, and in fact is generally the cause of most cancellations. When a 
customer has contracted for a show, has billed it heavily and has spent a lot of 
money to bring it before his people, and through the carelessness of the shipping 
clerk it does not reach him, he is not alone put out, but he has sustained a great 
financial loss, not alone through the money that he spent in advertising, but 
probably because he will have a dark house and disappoint a great number ot 
customers. 

If he has planned an advertising campaign, and through carelessness the ship- 
ping clerk has failed to send part of the advertising, the whole campaign may 
be broken up and made worthless. 

If his paper comes to him in bad condition, it cannot but hurt the feature, and 
there are hundreds of other ways in which improper service on the part of the 
shipping clerk may eventually affect the showing of the exchange and impair 
its efforts to increase the business. 

On the other hand, it is a matter of record in our office, that a great number of 
exhibitors have stated that our shipping service has done more toward keep- 
ing them on our books than any other single factor. 

Real good service can only be accomplished through systematic accuracy in 
handling details. Every shipping clerk should train himself particularly along 
these lines. 

First of all, proper systems and sufficient checks should be employed to insure 
work against going out in imperfect order. However, systems are not of the 
slightest value in the world unless they are kept up and handled properly by the 
man in charge of them. Therefore, accuracy in the smaller details must be 
practised in order to instill that principle which will later affect everything that 
is done and make it more nearly reliable and accurate. 

The exact forms and methods for taking care of the work and proper check 
for the Home Office will be considered separately, but at this particular point, 
we might suggest that there is one simple system which can be installed in any 
shipping department, or any part of any office, in fact, for the general handling 
of miscellaneous matters which come up and are to be taken care of later, and 
that is a daily reminder pad or tickler file. 

Very frequently miscellaneous transactions are to be taken up at a later date 
which are not entirely covered by forms which are provided. If the shipping 
clerk, or any other employee has on his desk a small 31 -day numerical file, he 
can simply make a note of the transaction to be taken up and slip it into the 
file under the particular date that it is to be taken care of, and the matter will 
thus come up automatically on the day it requires attention. 

79 



Some offices have even been perfected to a point where in using a daily pad, 
the hours of the day have been marked off and particular things to be taken care 
of at certain hours, such as odd shipments, etc., are placed against those hours 
and taken care of at that time. 

Very few men are able to trust to their memory, in fact it should not be attempted, 
and the best way to accurately insure against forgetting things, is to keep a daily 
or hourly reminder of this kind where all future transactions may be recorded 
and taken up without fail at the time they should be handled. 

Keeping Film Since the inspection department is part of the shipping service, it should be the 

in Order particular responsibility of the shipping clerk to see that no film leaves the house 

unless it is in the most perfect order. 

Inspectors should be accurate and conscientious in their work, and they should 
realize the necessity for keeping the film in the best possible physical condition. 
A film may be ever so good in its construction, but if it shows up badly on the 
screen, covered with oil, sprocket holes broken, full of scratches and constantly 
breaking, it does not look good to the patrons. 

The merit of a film, so far as the patron is concerned, lies not in its construc- 
tion, but in its appearance on the screen, and it must be recognized from an exhibi- 
tor's standpoint that one of the most vital points in his service, is that the film 
as well as the advertising comes to him in as nearly perfect condition as possible. 

Therefore, films should be very carefully inspected and at stated intervals reno- 
vated by a thoroughly reliable process. 

There should be kept in the vault for keeping the film moist and free from crack- 
ing, a pan containing the following solution : 

1 qt. glycerine, 4 cakes camphor, 4 parts water. 

Keening ^ V1 ^ P art °^ t " ie sri ipP' n g service is to give advertising matter not only promptly, 

A ! . . but in as good condition to the exhibitor as it is possible to offer him. 

Advertising 

in Order Quite often the desire of patrons to attend a theatre is caused by the appearance 

of the advertising in front of that theatre. 

Thousands of dollars may be spent for artistic paper and to make our paper 
with as much drawing power as possible, but it loses its drawing power if it 
comes to the exhibitor, ragged, worn, tattered and dirty. 

Poster drawing power is largely a psychological proposition and the condition of 
the poster, unconsciously very often, has just as much to do with a patron's 
determination to see the play, as the drawing itself or the construction of the 
poster. 

It is generally human nature to draw back or shrink from anything dirty, ragged, 
tattered or unsightly to the eye. Therefore, a poster may be considered as los- 
ing its value if it goes to the customer in bad condition. For that reason, posters 
should primarily be kept in good order, by actually keeping the stock neatly on 
the shelves so that it can best be preserved. 

When posters are returned from exhibitors slightly damaged, they should be 
repaired if possible immediately on return. If beyond repair, they should not be 
put back on the shelf to be used over and over again, but disposed of by the 
usual method prescribed by our auditing department for the disposition of bad 
paper and the proper report thereof. 

Careful watching on the part of the shipping clerk and careful mending at the 
right time will very often save posters which would otherwise go to waste after 

80 



Proper 

Arrangement 

or Stock 



the first showing or two. At no time, however, should any attempt be made to 
use old and soiled posters, and if the stock of good valuable posters becomes 
depleted, an order should be sent to the Home Office. This should not be taken 
to indicate that we want any wastage or extravagance in handling stock. Ship- 
ping clerks should do all within their power to get posters to customers in good 
condition and make the posters last just as long as possible from the company's 
standpoint. 

Keeping the advertising in order is very much assisted by having the proper 
arrangement of it and keeping the shelves in good order once the proper arrange- 
ment has been determined. 

A sketch marked "advertising racks" is attached hereto, in the supplemental list 
of forms showing the ideal way, as nearly as it can be worked out, of keeping 
advertising in the branches in the best arrangement as to floor and wall space, 
and also in the best order for preservation, checking and accurate service to 
customers. 



Advertising 

Stock 

Records 



Whenever possible, this system should be followed, as it provides not only 
shelves wherein the features can be worked up and down or back and forth, 
but an entirely new system of advertising can be installed. Also, the individual 
bins for the individual features is a safeguard for preventing sending out wrong 
advertising on the wrong feature. Furthermore, this form of shelving is as good 
as any that can be devised for keeping the advertising in good shape in being 
placed on the shelf or when being taken out. 

Once this arrangement has been perfected, or any arrangement that may be 
used in any office at this time, one of the most important elements is keeping the 
stock in its proper place. If it is not kept in the proper place, confusion not only 
will result, but it will consume more than the usual time in getting up ship- 
ments. There is also then a great liability of pulling wrong advertising on some 
of the features and shipping customers posters on a feature which they have not 
booked and not shipping the posters which are wanted. This as you know, dis- 
rupts our entire efforts towards service to customers. 

Another very strong argument for keeping stock in order is its value in keeping 
your advertising stock records and any time a physical inventory may be taken 
there will be no discrepancies. Here again let there be impressed upon you the 
extreme value and necessity of keeping advertising stock records accurate, as the 
shipping clerk is directly responsible for these advertising reports and he may be 
held liable personally for any unaccountable shortages. It therefore behooves 
him to insist on accurate stock records and Home Office requirements in any 
transaction which involves the disposition of stock. 

This may be well brought out by the fact that in obtaining our financial state- 
ment at the end of the year, showing the net profits, according to our inventory 
our branch offices were short several thousand dollars worth of stock as it was 
charged against them on our books. Even in some single branches discrepancies 
ran into thousands of dollars and naturally the shipping clerk could be held 
accountable for this. * 

It must be remembered that any stock which is sent you is charged against your 
office on the Home Office records and if this stock is disposed of without proper 
records being sent to the Home Office, this charge remains, and while you are 
without the stock, you are charged so far as our records are concerned. Then 
when your inventory comes in, naturally showing this loss, the shipping clerk is 
held liable for the shortage. 

A charge always remains on our books until it is wiped off by proper support- 
ing records showing the proper disposition of stock, and if you or anyone about 
your offices disposes of this stock in any way without making proper records, 
so there is a shortage in your department, it very seriously affects your standing 

81 



with the company. Whether it be the manager or anyone else, he should not be 
allowed to dispose of any of your stock in any way, shape or form, without proper 
records going to the Home Office. 

Express Since the shipping clerk is directly responsible for film and advertising reaching 

/-> • their proper destination at proper times, every shipping clerk should familiarize 

himself thoroughly and possibly memorize the times of trains of all railroads to 

various points in his territory, and which trains carry express, as through lack of 

this knowledge very often shipments are missed. 

This will no doubt require some study, but since this is a direct responsibility, 
there is no reason why each shipping clerk should not be willing to give the 
matter time and attention. 

The shipping clerk should also have supporting records and time-tables in a 
conspicuous place about the office to which he can readily refer, but it is desir- 
able, if possible, to have the knowledge personally, so that at no time will he be 
holding up a film or paper shipment for a train which does not carry express, or 
for a later train which does not arrive at its destination in time for the show. 

Such knov/ledge and its operation means accurate service, where lack of this 
knowledge may mean extreme laxity and improper service to the customer. 

■*■ ac * Like the bookkeeper, the shipping clerk is in a peculiarly important position for 

the exercising of diplomacy, politeness, courtesy and tact toward exhibitors. 

If an exhibitor has come to make a complaint, he either goes first to the book- 
keeper in paying his bill, or to the shipping clerk in returning the film. 

The shipping clerk by using tact and diplomacy can calm the exhibitor and change 
his unkindly feeling, if such he has, or if he can do nothing he can refer the 
exhibitor to the manager. Or he can, by adopting a similarly arbitrary attitude 
himself, fan the flames of the exhibitor's feeling further and possibly disrupt 
future business relations with that exhibitor. 

He must recognize that this is a very important sales factor and that any ship- 
ping clerk, no matter how good he may be from a shipping standpoint, can do 
enough harm by adopting an arbitrary attitude in business dealings with exhibi- 
tors, to render him more detrimental to the branch than he is beneficial, and such 
a condition would consequently bring about his dismissal. 

The customer may very often be unreasonable and arbitrary, but it should be 
remembered that the exhibitor must have some reason for his attitude, and be it 
ever so unreasonable, he will continue to feel that way unless the matter is 
explained to him in a nice way and he is made to see our viewpoint. 

If the shipping clerk finds that it is impossible to do this, he should refer the 
customer to the manager. In fact he should not try to settle any dispute unless 
it is a very small one. Furthermore, if the exhibitor has no inclination to see 
the manager, the shipping clerk should make it his business to see that he does 
not leave the office with an unkindly feeling toward the company. 

It should also be taken into consideration that courtesy and politeness must be 
shown to operators who come in, for while they do not actually book the film 
they often have influence with the manager of the theatre, and they can make the 
film show up poorly on the screen, or by constant knocking can create an ill 
feeling toward our pictures. 

Shipping Forms Shipping clerks should realize the value of all forms and they should not look 

upon any form as red tape or unnecessary detail work. Every form has a pur- 
pose and are installed for the benefit of the shipping clerk. Without these forms 
it would be a physical impossibility to get along and would only lead to mis- 

82 



takes, confusion and loss. Since mistakes and confusion reflect directly back on 
the employee, he should be very glad to use and appreciate any form which will 
assist or tend to eliminate these mistakes and make his work accurate and reliable. 

Therefore, it should be recognized that every form is put out with a distinct 
purpose and should receive very careful study. 

The detail work connected with shipping particularly makes it necessary not only 
to have accurate forms but to check back on almost every operation. 

We will therefore take up each individual form, discuss them thoroughly and 
point out their benefit and operation in the daily performance of various shipping 
duties. 



83 



Branch Forms 



Use of Forms So much has been said already remtive to proper observance of forms that 

very little comment need be made here except to reiterate the value of proper 
observance of these forms to branch employees and their necessity to the 
Home Office. 



Sales Forms 



Form 676 

Notice of 
Contract 



Form 677 

Notice of 

Cancellation 

Form 152 

Brief of 

Contract 



Form 111 

A&B 

Booking Sheet 



Again let it be pointed out that our system has been pruned as closely as 
possible and as it stands to-day every existant form is absolutely necessary 
to our work, and being so necessary, should have the most careful observance 
in handling by the branch employees responsible therefor. Also, branch 
employees will find upon careful study that a careful check of their own work 
by the use of these forms will increase their efficiency manyfold. 

Since the sales forms were thoroughly explained under the heading of "Branch 
Managers" and "Salesmen," no further reference will be made to them here. 
Sample forms are fully outlined in the appended reproductions and should 
of themselves be fully explanatory. 

Form 676, Notice of Contract, is really only a letter of transmittal wherein 
every blank is filled out and attached to contract, taking the place of a 
letter which would ordinarily come with these contracts. The information 
called for is simply of statistical nature, such as : name of exhibitor, city, etc., 
and the blank itself is entirely self-explanatory. These forms with con- 
tract is sent to Division Manager for approval and he in turn transmits to 
the Home Office if approved. 

This form is also simply a letter of transmittal, making unnecessary any 
further communication if properly filled out. It also is self-explanatory. 

Upon the receipt of any contract the full details should immediately be 
transferred to Form 152, Brief of Contract Card. This card, as per sample 
shown in appended reproductions, provides blanks for every sort of infor- 
mation necessary to the proper service of that customer, film requirements, 
advertising order, price, express connections, etc. 

These cards are filed alphebetically by name of exhibitor and form a per- 
manent record in that branch for the guidance of any employee in the process 
of serving that customer, whether it be booking, billing or shipping. 

The reverse side of this card is so lined as to provide spaces for dates and 
names of features used, and the booker upon booking any feature to this 
customer, should insert the date and name of the feature, cancelling same 
later in case the feature may be cancelled. This, then, provides a per- 
manent cut-off sheet and sales record for the office. 

Prepare these sheets as follows : 

Use one column for each feature except in cases where your office has 
more than one copy of a print, in which case a column should be reserved 
for each copy. The numerals in the margin represent the dates of the 
month. 

When a booking is received and has been approved by the Manager it is 
entered on the booking sheet in the column provided for the feature desired. 
and on the line representing the date on which this feature is to be shown. 
The entry should give the name of the exhibitor and the town and state in 
which his theatre is located. 

As soon as a booking has been entered on the booking sheet the order should 
be given to the billing clerk, who will immediately make out "Combination 
Form No. 105 and No. 106," which comprises charge tickets, film and ad- 
vertising shiping tickets, film and advertising return tickets, and inspection 

85 



report in manifold form and can be issued with one operation. 

is fully explained in another paragraph. 



This Form 



Form 105-106 
Combination 
Charge Ticket, 
Film and Ad- 
vertising snip- 
ping Ticket, 
and Inspection 
Report. 



After a booking has been entered it should not be erased, unless it becomes 
necessary to%»lace another booking in that particular space. When a book- 
ing is cancelled or a change made for any reason it should be so marked 
un the booking sheet. 

Where the time between bookings do not allow for the return of a print 
to the branch and it becomes necessary to make a direct shipment from 
one exhibitor to another, the booker should be able to get such information 
from his booking sheet. This is important as the booker will receive daily, 
from the shipping clerk, all tickets representing film shipments upon which 
he must endorse shipping instructions. 

Any change or cancellation on the booking sheet must be reported to the 
billing clerk, who will cancel charge tickets and shipping instructions affected 
by the change or cancellation of booking and issue new copy of "COM- 
BINATION FORM No. 105-No. 106" where required. 

This Form comprises six manifold copies, and will be issued by the biller 
immediately upon receipt of an order from the booker. After this Form 
is completely filled in, it must enable the billing clerk to obtain therefrom 
the necessary information for invoicing, and must enable the shipping clerk 
to intelligently fill the exhibitor's order on advertising matter as well as on 
film. The several copies of this Form are distributed as follows : 

Copies No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 are delivered to the shipping clerk; 1 
copies No. 5 and No. 6 are retained by biller and filed under shipping date 
for check back and exchange with shipper. 

Copies No. 1 and No. 2 represent the advertising shipping and the adver- 
tising packing slips respectively and should be filed by the shipping clerk 
in his daily reminder file under shipping date. This shipping date must be 
such as to deliver this paper to the exhibitor one week in advance of play 
date. When shipment is made the reverse side of Copy No. 1 must show 
the name of the express company to whom this matter has been delivered, 
as well as the date and time of shipment and the name of the shipper. If 
same is delivered to a local exhibitor it must bear his signature or that of 
his messenger to whom this matter has been delivered. 

Copy No. 2 is the exhibitor's copy and should be placed in the package. 

Copy No. 3 and No. 4 are the film shipping and packing slips and are filed under 
shipping date in the shipping clerk's daily reminder file and sufficiently in 
advance of play date to guarantee delivery of this film on time. 

Copy No.. 3 is the film shipping ticket and when a shipment is made should 
be carefully filled in on the reverse side at time of shipment. 

Copy No. 4 is the exhibitor's copy and should be placed in the package. 

Each morning the shipping clerk will refer to his daily reminder file and 
remove all tickets representing shipments to be made t)n that day. These 
should be given to the booker, who will check same and place his initials 
on the back of all No. 3 copies in the space provided for that purpose, detach- 
ing coupon which he will retain as his record. He will also enter on the 
back of film packing slip (Copy No. 4) complete shipping instructions on any 
film that is to be reshipped by the exhibitor. 

86 



Copies No. 5 and No. 6 are to be retained by the billing clerk, who will file 
same under the date of play, first detaching the coupon from these copies, mail- 
ing coupon from copy No. 5 to the Home Office, and coupon from copy No. 6 
to the Division Manager. 

Each day the shipper will deliver to the billing clerk all No. 1 copies representing 
completed shipments of advertising matter, and all No. 3 copies representing 
completed shipments of films, and will receive in exchange for each No. 1 copy 
(Advertising Shipping Slip) a No. 5 copy which is his advertising return slip 
and should be filed in his return file under the date on which this advertising 
matter is due to be returned. 

He will also receive for each No. 3 copy (Film Shipping Slip) a No. 6 copy 
which is the film return slip and inspection report. This No. 6 copy is to be 
filed under the date on which the film is due to be returned, at which time this 
slip will be delivered to the inspector with the film, who will report the condition 
of each reel on this ticket. 

Before making this interchange of tickets, the shipping clerk should make the 
necessary entries in the property books, namely, "PERPETUAL INVENTORY 
RECORD OF ADVERTISING MATTER," and "IN AND OUT BOOK OF 
FILMS." These forms are explained in another paragraph. Entries showing 
return of films or return of advertising matter should be made from copies No. 
5 (Advertising Return Ticket) and No. 6 (Film Return Ticket). 

Copy No. 1 is the Advertising Shipping Ticket and will be returned to the biller 
on date of shipment in exchange for the advertising return ticket. This inter- 
change should be made on shipping day and any changes noted on all copies. 

Invoices are rendered three days in advance of play date. 

Copy No. 1 of Combination Form No. 105 and No. 106 should be used as the 
charge ticket from which such invoice is made. Attached to copy No. 1 should 
be copy No. 5 (Film Return Ticket) and also coupon of the invoice covering 
this charge. 

Copy No. 5 (Film Return Slip) will be exchanged on date of film shipment for 
copy No. 3 (Film Shipping Ticket) which completes the transaction. Attached 
to copy No. 1 or Advertising Shipping Ticket will be copy No. 3 or Film Ship- 
ping Ticket and the coupon of the invoice. 

This becomes a permanent record and must now be filed under exhibitor's name 
for future reference should the occasion arise, or until destruction is authorized 
by the Auditor. 

Form 113 On invoices it is important that the exhibitor's name, name of theatre, address, 

t • feature name, date of invoice, play date, and all other entries thereon are abso- 

Invoice 1-1 j. 

lutely correct. 

On the distribution coupon of the invoice you must first consider the total amount 
of the rental. This rental must be apportioned according to the schedule of 
"DIVISION OF RENTALS" and entered on this coupon to read, "FILM 
RENT— ADVERTISING RENT— TOTAL RENT." Opposite the words, 
"ADVERTISING SOLD," on the distribution coupon, you place the total 
amount of all advertising matter sold. 

Where any advertising matter such as heralds or cards are furnished gratis to the 
exhibitor the value of same must be included in the "TOTAL ADVERTISING 
SOLD" and same deducted from the total rental before distribution of such 
rental is made on the coupon. This is done to insure revenue for the Company 

87 



on all salable advertising matter, and though we are apparently furnishing this 
paper to an exhibitor "gratis," we are in reality reducing the rental by the 
amount of such advertising matter furnished, and taking credit for same under 
"ADVERTISING SOLD." The following is an . illustration of such a trans- 
action : 

Supposing the total rental on a feature is' $25.00 and that we sell this exhibitor 
1,000 heralds at $2.00, and give him 20 l / 2 s cards gratis, the total amount of 
the invoice would be $27.00. On the distribution coupon of this invoice you would 
show the total sales as $3.00, value of 1,000 heralds being $2.00 and the value 
of 20 cards being $1.00. Now, as the total amount of invoice must read $27.00 
to the exhibitor, and the sales on our distribution coupon are $3.00, we must 
consider the total rental to be distributed as $24.00. Division of rental on $24.00 
is $19.00 film rental ; $5.00 advertising rental ; therefore, our distribution coupon 
would read as follows : 

Film rental $19.00 

Advertising rental 5.00 

Total rental 24.00 

Advertising sold 3.00 

Total advertising 8.00 

Total invoice 27.00 

In cases of this kind it is necessary to mention in the body of the invoice this 
caption, "TO ADVERTISING FURNISHED GRATIS," and itemize below 
such paper as has been furnished gratis to an exhibitor. This is necessary as 
stock at branches is credited with advertising sales as represented by the invoice. 
After the invoice has been completed the following procedure is in order : 

Copy No. 1, after coupon has been detached, is forwarded to the exhibitor three 
days in advance of play date. Coupon of invoice is now to be attached to the 
charge ticket. 

Copies No. 2 and No. 3 are listed on the abstract of invoices and forwarded 
to the Home Office on play date. 

Copies No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 are placed in the active file of "ACCOUNTS 
RECEIVABLE" until paid in full, at which time copies No. 4 and No. 5 
are forwarded to the Home Office with the Abstract of Collections after 
being properly listed thereon. Copy No. 6 is then transferred from the 
active to the inactive file and becomes the permanent record at the Branch. 

This same form of invoice should be used in all cases, regardless of the 
nature of the charge and to make this perfectly clear to all bookkeepers, we 
give herewith a few specimens of unusual invoices : 

Moneys refunded by an express company are to be invoiced on this Form, 
using the name of the express company making the refund. These must be 
entered on the Abstract of Invoices and on the Abstract of Collections and 
put through in the manner as outlined in the preceding paragraph. State 
plainly, however, the purpose for which the invoice has been issued, both in 
the body and on the coupon. 

Forfeiture of deposits are also covered by this Form of invoice stating on 
same "TO FORFEITURE DEPOSIT COVERED BY CREDIT MEMO 

No , DATE " Notation must also be made on 

the credit memo representing the deposit so forfeited and should read as 
follows : "FORFEITED ON ACCOUNT OF NON-PERFORMANCE OF 
CONTRACT COVERED BY INVOICE No " 

88 



Checks returned by the bank for any reason must be invoiced on this Form, 
thereby reinstating a charge against the exhibitor. This invoice should also 
cover protest fees, if any. The wording on the invoice should read as 
follows : 



Schedule or 
Division or 

Rentals 



"TO CHECK GIVEN IN PAYMENT OF INVOICE No. .. 

RETURNED BY BANK UNPAID $. 

PORTEST FEES $. 



Charges on these invoices should be carried in one amount on the coupon, 
marking it "RETURNED CHECK $ PROTEST FEES $ " 

When an invoice is rendered which does not cover service or advertising 
matter sold, the space reserved for the name of the feature should be left 
blank. In the body of the invoice define clearly the nature of the charge 
and the amount. No distribution of revenue is required on invoices cover- 
ing "REFUNDED EXPRESS CHARGES," "FORFEITURE OF DE- 
POSITS," "RETURNED CHECK" or miscellaneous revenue of any kind. 
All invoices rendered, however, regardless of their nature, must be abstracted 
in the regular way and the proper copies forwarded to the Home Office. 

All rentals must be divided according to this schedule. This applies to in- 
voices, credit memos, part payment receipts and charge tickets. 

SCHEDULE OF DIVISION OF RENTALS 



When total Portion for Film Rentals 

rentals are adv. display never less than 

Up to $8.00 $2.00 $.0.00 

$8.01 to $10.00 2.50 6.00 

10.01 to 12.00 3.00 7.50 

12.01 to 14.00 3.50 9.00 

14.01 to 16.00 4.00 10.50 

16.01 to 18.00 4.50 12.00 

18.01 to 50.00 5.00 13.50 

50.01 up 10% 45.00 

RULE : Net rental of film must never be less than the next lowest rental. 



Form 648 
Abstract of 



I 



nvoices 



Viz: If total rental, $8.25, adv. display is $2.50, film rental $5.75 by sched- 
ule, but next lowest rentals of film is $6.00, you thus divide this rental of $8.25 
into film rental — $6.00, adv. display — $2.25. 

ONE-REEL FEATURES 

When single reel features rent for $5.00 or less, the rental is divided 80% for 
film and 20% for advertising. 

When the rental for single features is from $5.00 to $6.00, the film rent pro- 
portion is $4.00 and the advertising rent the balance. Rentals of $6.00 and 
over divided according to schedule with a minimum for advertising of $2.00. 

This abstract covers all charges to accounts receivable and must be made in 
triplicate, the original being mailed to the Home Office, the duplicate to 
the Division Manager and the triplicate to be retained by the Branch. Copies 
No. 2 and No. 3 of the invoice must accompany the original abstract and be 
forwarded with same -to the Home Office. The total of this abstract, being 
the total of charges to accounts receivable should agree with the total of 
copies four, five and six of invoices placed in the active file. 

Abstracts of Invoices covering Equitable transactions require an extra copy which 

89 



Form 1133^2 
Deposits on Ser- 
vice Contract 



Form 121 

Part Payment 

Receipt 



is to be forwarded to New York in a separate envelope marked "Equitable" but 
enclosed in an envelope addressed to the World Film Corporation. 

When an exhibitor contracts for service it is customary to require an advance 
deposit which will be applied to the last two or four weeks of service as specified 
in such contract. Immediately upon receipt of deposit, the bookkeeper will make 
out on Form 113^ (Credit Memo) a complete description of this transaction. 
The following notation must be used wherever Form \\iy 2 is used for reporting 
a deposit on a service contract : 

"DEPOSITS ON SERVICE CONTRACT COVERING 

WEEKS OF SERVICE (DATE) TO 

BE APPLIED TO LAST WEEKS OF SERVICE." 

Copy No. 1, after coupon has been detached, will be forwarded to the exhibitor 
as his receipt. 

Copies No. 2 and No. 3 must be listed on the abstract of collections under the 
heading "DEPOSITS ON CONTRACTS" and forwarded to the Home Office 
with this abstract. 

Copy No. 6 and coupon will be retained by the Branch and must be reported 
weekly to the Home Office until the termination of the contract, at which time 

this deposit will be applied to the last weeks of service as set forth in the 

contract. Method of application of "DEPOSITS" described in the paragraph 
entitled "APPLICATION OF DEPOSITS ON SERVICE CONTRACTS." 

This Form is issued in triplicate and must be used in all cases where payment 
does not equal the total amount of the invoice. The body of this receipt should 
be carefully filled in, and must yield all the information that could be obtained 
from the original invoice. In addition the coupon of this Form must plainly 
show what part of this payment is applicable to film rental and what part to 
advertising. This is necessary, as when a part payment is reported to the Home 
Office it is not accompanied by any part of the invoice proper, and must, there- 
fore, be complete in every detail. 

Copy No. 1 is sent to the exhibitor after the coupon has been detached. 

Copy No. 2 is listed on the abstract of collections under the heading "ON AC- 
COUNT OF INVOICES" and forwarded to the Home Office. 



Form 121 

Overpayments 

&nd Advance 

Payments 



Copy No. 3 and the coupon are attached to copies Nos. 4, 5 and 6 of the invoice 
to which it applies and filed in the active file. It is important that the date and 
amount of the part payment are endorsed on copies No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 of the 
invoice so as to avoid any confusion should these papers become separated. 
When payment is received covering the balance of invoice, copies No. 4 and No. 
5 of the invoice, and the coupon of the part payment receipt, must be forwarded 
to the Home Office with the abstract of collections, properly listed thereon. 

Part payments on Equitable transactions are handled in the same manner, the 
only difference being the additional copy of part payment receipt which must 
be forwarded to the Home Office at the time of payment with copy No. 2. This 
additional copy is issued for the convenience of the Equitable Motion Picture 
Corp., who are interested in all transactions affecting their program. 

When an exhibitor overpays his account, in error or otherwise, or when he pays 
money in advance to be applied against some future booking, a part payment 
receipt will be issued and handled precisely as the part payment receipt described 
in the paragraph under such heading. The following exceptions, however, must 
be noted : 

90 



Instead of the name of any Feature, insert the word "OVERPAYMENT OR 
ADVANCE PAYMENTS" as the case may be. When forwarding copy No. 2 
to the Home Office with the abstract of collections it must be entered on this 
abstract in the column headed "OVERPAYMENT." 

These transactions do not become a part of accounts receivable and must be 
handled entirely separate from same. When the bookkeeper makes up his report 
at the end of each week he will treat such overpayments and advance payments 
in his proof just as he treats "DEPOSITS ON SERVICE CONTRACTS," 
which are covered fully under the heading "PROOF OF DEPOSITS, OVER- 
PAYMENTS AND ADVANCE PAYMENTS." 

When an overpayment or an advance payment is applied it must again be listed 
on the abstract of collections in the column provided for that purpose and headed 
"DEPOSITS AND OVERPAYMENTS APPLIED." 

It is important when applying an overpayment or an advance payment to men- 
tion the number of the invoice to which it is applied, on the copy of the part pay- 
ment receipt, also to make a notation on the invoice giving the date and the 
amount of the over or advance payment. This is a precaution which should be 
taken and will avoid any confusion should the copies of thei invoice and over- 
payment or advance payment receipts become separated in the files. 

Form 649 This abstract must be reported in triplicate ; the original copy with all credit 

Abstract of memos, No. 4 and No. 5 copies of invoice, part payment receipts and deposit 

Q \\ t * slips must be sent to Home Office, the duplicate goes) to the Division Manager 

and the triplicate remains at the Branch as their permanent record. This abstract 
covers cash receipts and credits to accounts receivable, such as "COLLEC- 
TIONS ON INVOICES," "OVERPAYMENTS," "DEPOSITS ON CON- 
TRACT," "CREDIT MEMORANDA" and "DEPOSITS OR OVERPAY- 
MENTS APPLIED." 

All money collected must be entered in one of the three columns under the head- 
ing "RECEIPTS." If the payment made is applicable to an invoice this amount 
should be entered under the heading "ON ACCOUNT OF INVOICES," re- 
gardless of whether such payment settles an invoice in full or in part. 

Where an exhibitor overpays an account, in error or otherwise, such overpav- 
ment should be placed in the column headed "OVERPAYMENT." Deposits on 
service contracts are to be entered in the column provided for that purpose. All 
transactions must give the name of the exhibitor, the feature, play date, contract 
or credit memo number, if any, and invoice number. 

The last two columns on the abstract are reserved for credits other than cash, 
namely, allowances by credit memoranda and deposits or overpayments applied. 
Credit memoranda are not to be reported on this abstract until approved by the 
Division Manager. 

This same rule applies also to the application of deposits on service contracts. 
The method of applying deposits on service contracts is explained under the 
paragraph headed "APPLICATION OF DEPOSITS," which fully covers this 
procedure. 

This abstract requires three lines for totals. On the first line, opposite "TOTAL 
TO-DAY," you should enter the total of each column. Opposite "DEPOSIT 
TO-DAY," you should enter the total amount of the deposit as represented by 
the deposit slip, and which should equal the total of the three columns under 
the heading "RECEIPTS." The second line of totals represent footings, brought 
forward from the abstract of the previous day. The third line should represent 

91 



Daily Library 
Report 



Form 131 

List of Unpaid 

Invoices 



Form 684 

Weekly Proof 

of Accounts 

Receivable or 

Exchange 

Control 

Account 



the totals of the two lines above and should be carried forward from day to day 
until the close of the business week on Saturday. 

The Abstracts of Collections covering Equitable Transactions should be reported 
in the same manner as outlined above, the only difference being an additional 
copy of this Form which must be forwarded to the Home Office in a separate 
envelope marked "EQUITABLE," but enclosed in the daily envelope of reports 
addressed to the World Film Corporation. 

This report should be made out by the shipping clerk in duplicate ; the 
original being forwarded to the Home Office and the duplicate retained by 
the branch. Under the heading "WORKING— YES OR NO," write the 
word "YES" whenever a print is booked and working. When a print is not 
working "NO" should be used. 

Where a branch has more than one print on any feature a report must be 
made on each print, and, if necessary, two copies of this Form be used. This 
information can be obtained from the In and Out book on films, Form 
No. 108, but should at intervals be checked against the films in the vault, to 
insure its accuracy. 

This report is then given to the bookkeeper, who will refer to the abstract 
of invoices of that date and insert the number of the invoice, opposite each 
feature marked "YES." When complete every feature marked "YES," 
"WORKING," should have an invoice number opposite. This report will 
therefore act as a safeguard against unbilled shipments or erroneous billing. 

The weekly list of unpaid invoices should be made in triplicate, the original 
forwarded to the Home Office, the duplicate to the Division Manager and 
the triplicate retained by the Branch. 

Each invoice must be entered separately giving the "DATE OF INVOICE," 
"NAME OF CUSTOMER," "THEATRE,"^ "CITY," "INVOICE NUM- 
BER" and "AMOUNT." Where the total amount of invoice has been re- 
duced by a partial payment it must be so shown on this report and the 
part remaining unpaid entered in the column headed "BALANCE." In 
the column headed "REMARKS" give reasons for non-payment of any in- 
voice dated previous to the current week. 

This Form must be accompanied by a weekly proof of "ACCOUNTS RE- 
CEIVABLE." The method of making this proof described in the para- 
graph headed "WEEKLY REPORT 'OF ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE. 
FORM 684." 

The business week of this Corporation ends on Saturday night and it is 
necessary for the bookkeeper to forward to the Home Office a weekly bal- 
ance sheet. This should be recorded on Form No. 684 in triplicate, the 
original forwarded to the Home Office, the duplicate to the Division Man- 
ager and the triplicate retained by the Branch. In each case this report 
should be accompanied by the weekly list of outstanding accounts. 

On the debit side, place all charges to "ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE" as 
represented by the totals on the invoice abstracts for the week. Also bring 
forward the total amount of outstanding accounts from the previous week's 
list of unpaid invoices. 

On the credit side you will place all credits to "ACCOUNTS RECEIV- 
ABLE," which information should be obtained from the "COLLECTION 
ABSTRACTS." 

First enter the receipts for the week as shown in the column headed "ON; 
ACCOUNT OF INVOICES." 



92 



Proof of 

Deposits, 

Overpayments 

and Advance 

Payments 



Next enter on the Credit side any totals appearing under the heading "AL- 
LOWANCES CREDIT MEMOS" and any deposits or overpayments which 
may have been applied during the current week using the total under the 
heading "DEPOSITS AND OVERPAYMENTS" applied. 

This proof of "ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE" or "EXCHANGE CONTROL 
ACCOUNT" must not be reported to the Home Office unless same proves 
to be correct. In other words, the total of all debits must equal the total of 
all credits. 

Any existing different should be checked out by the bookkeeper and can bo 
best accomplished in the following manner : 

By taking your list of unpaid invoices for the previous week and the six 
copies of invoice abstracts which represent all invoices issued during the 
current week and checking off all credits such as collections on account of 
invoices, credit memorada, overpayments or advance payments applied and 
deposits applied, there will remain such items as should appear on your list 
of outstanding accounts for the current week. By comparing these items 
with your list of outstanding accounts for the current week any difference 
will immediately be detected and after adjustments have been made you 
will have no trouble with your weekly proof of "ACCOUNTS RECEIV- 
ABLE." 

Deposits, over and advance payments, should be listed on Form No. 131 and a 
proof of same forwarded weekly to the Home Office. This proof must be drawn 
up in the following manner: 

On the first line place the total of overpayments, advance payments and deposits 
on contract as reported the previous week, placing the amount on the credit side. 

Next refer to your collection abstract for the week and enter on your credit side 
the amount of deposits, overpayments and advance payments received during 
the current week. 

From your collection abstracts you will also obtain the amount of deposits and 
overpayments applied which should be entered on the debit side of this proof. 

Then refer to your list of deposits, overpayments and advance payments and 
carry this total into the debit column of your proof. 

The debit and credit columns of your proof should now agree as illustrated in 
"THE SPECIMEN PROOF" herewith: 

SPECIMEN PROOF 



Debit 

Deposits, Over and Advance Payments W/E 

Deposits received W/E 

Over and Advance Payments rec'd W/E 

Deposits Over and Advance Payments applied W/E $600 

Deposits, Over and Advance Pavments as per attached 

list W/E ' 5,550 

Total $6,150 



Credit 

$5,100 

1,000 

50 



$6,150 



Form 671 

Petty Cash 

Account 



This report must be rendered weekly in triplicate ; the original after being ap- 
proved by the Manager, must be forwarded to the Home Office with all vouchers 
and documents supporting the expenditures listed thereon. The duplicate is 
forwarded to the Division Manager and the triplicate remains at the Branch and 
becomes their permanent record. 

93 



Every petty cash expenditure must be represented by a petty cash voucher signed 
by the party to whom such money has been paid and authorized by the branch 
manager. These vouchers should be numbered consecutively and so entered 
upon this report in the column headed "PAID OUT." At the end of the week 
these expenditures should be footed, the balance on hand entered in the space 
provided for that purpose and the total of expenditures and balance on hand 
should equal the amount of the contingent fund at Branch. 

Jn the column headed "RECEIVED" you must enter the balance brought for- 
ward from the previous week. The only other entry appearing in this column 
will be the disbursement check received weekly from the Home Office and as 
this check covers disbursements for the previous week the total in this column 
also will represent the amount of the Branch contingent fund. 

The column headed "DISTRIBUTION" is not to be filled in by the branch 
cashier and is for use of the Home Office only. 

In the lower right hand corner of this report is a space headed "TO BE FILLED 
IN BY BRANCH OFFICE." Printing in this space clearly defines the re- 
quired information. On the first line must be entered the total amount of dis- 
bursements for the current week. This will agree with your total disbursements 
as shown in the column headed "PAID OUT." 

Under the heading "ANALYSIS OF BALANCE" you enter first, cash in office ; 
second, cash advances, if any, and third, cash in bank. The total of these 
three should, of course, agree with the balance as shown in the first column and 
which must be carried forward to the following week's report. 

When complete, the three money columns on this report must agree, each repre- 
senting the branch contingent fund. In cases where it is impossible to obtain a 
receipt for money expended, or where payment has been made by check, it is 
important that the cashier enter upon the voucher representing such disburse- 
ment, the number of the check issued in payment. Except in cases where pur- 
chases are made for cash it is also necessary that purchase order accompany the 
vouchers and cash report when forwarding same to the Home Office. 

Form 670 ^his Form is issued in triplicate and must be used in all cases where a Branch 

* y ■ c desires to apply deposits on service contracts to current invoices. Enter upon 

Applies ion o same the number and location of your Branch, the date of issue, number of 

Deposits credit memo representing the deposit, amount, name and address of exhibitor, 

number of contract, number of invoice and amount, as well as any other re- 
marks which may be of importance. 

This Form is next forwarded to your Division Manager who will approve same 
and forward to the home office for auditing approval, following which they will 
be sent to the branch for abstraction. 

Copies No. 1 and No. 2 will be attached to copies No. 4 and No. 5 of the invoice 
to which such deposit has been applied, listed on the abstract of collections in 
the column headed "DEPOSITS AND OVERPAYMENTS APPLIED" and 
forwarded with the abstract of collections to the Home Office. 

Copy No. 3 must be attached to the No. 6 copy of credit memo representing the 
deposit on service contract, and the No. 6 copy of the invoice to which such de- 
posit has been applied. 

It is important to endorse all applications of deposits on No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 
copies of the invoice affected stating "DEPOSIT ON SERVICE CONTRACT 
APPLIED," the date and amount. This should be done as when papers become 
separated in the file it requires a great deal of time and energy to locate this 
information on the records, whereas, by noting such information on your docu- 
ments at the time of application you will avoid all unnecessary confusion. 

94 



Form 1133^2 
Credit Memo 



Branch Ex- 
change Pur- 
chase Order 



Form 607 

Perpetual 

Inventory 

Record of 

Advertising 

Matter 



This Form is to be used whenever an exhibitor is entitled to credit either 
because of advertising matter returned, error in billing, failure of a print 
to arrive, or some other grievance. It is important to show on each "CREDIT 
MEMORANDUM" the number of the invoice affected, the feature entitled 
to this credit, the proper distribution of revenue on the coupon and all 
other information called for on this form. The Division Manager's 
approval must appear on all "CREDIT MEMOS" before reporting same to 
the "HOME OFFICE." When this approval has been secured the follow- 
ing procedure is in order. 

Copy No. 1 after detaching coupon should be destroyed. Copy No. 2 and 
No. 3 should be listed on the abstract of collections showing the number of 
the invoice affected and the number of the credit memo in the columns pro- 
vided for that purpose and forwarded to the Home Office. The amount of 
the credit should be entered in the column headed "ALLOWANCES 
CREDIT MEMOS." 

Copy No. 6 and the coupon should be atttached to copies No. 4, No. 5 and 
No. 6 of the invoice and placed in the active file. If the application of this 
credit completely settles the invoice, copies four and five of same should be 
forwarded to the Home Office with the coupon of the credit memos, in which 
case copy No. 6 of the invoice and copy No. 6 of the credit memo should be 
placed in the inactive file. In applying a credit memo to an invoice the 
number of credit memo as well as the date and amount of the same should 
be entered on copies No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 of the invoice. This precaution 
should be taken to avoid any possibility of confusion should these papers 
become separated. 

This Form is issued in triplicate and will be used whenever a Branch Office 
desires to make a purchase. These purchases will be principally office sup- 
plies, wrapping paper, twine, poster mounting and such articles as are not 
supplied by the. Home Office. 

Copy No. 1 is mailed to the creditor, who will fill out the coupon and return 
same to the Branch properly signed acknowledging receipt of the order 
and specifying date of delivery. 

Copy No. 2 is the Auditor's copy and must be forwarded to the Auditor im- 
mediately on receipt of goods. 

Copy No. 3 is the Branch Office copy and should be attached to the Branch 
copy of the invoice rendered covering this purchase. This copy is to be 
retained by the Branch and filed with the receipted invoice in the file pro- 
vided for that purpose. 

Use one of these sheets for each feature, entering the name of the feature 
and its official number at the top of the page. This number should coincide 
with the number used in perforating your films and also with the number 
of the shelf or bin in which the advertising matter of this feature is carried. 
Arrange the pages of this book numerically, using the number of the feature 
as the page in the book. 

On the first line will be entered the inventory of heralds, lithos, cards, 
mounted paper, photos, cuts and slides in red ink. All receipts of adver- 
tising matter as represented by shipping notices will also be entered in red 
ink, showing the date these goods are received and the quantity. All sales 
of advertising matter such as heralds, cards, lithos. etc., should be shown in 
black ink, using the advertising shipping slips as a basis of entry. 

Advertising matter furnished to an exhibitor for lobby display, and which 

95 



is to be returned, should not be entered in this book. Such lobby displays 
which have not been returned will be represented in your return file by 
No. 5 copies of advertising return tickets and must at all times be con- 1 
sidered as stock on hand. The total of all red ink entries reduced by the total of 
the entries in black ink should represent the quantity of advertising matter on the 
shelves. These figures should be verified quarterly and reported to the Home 
Office as called for. 

Report monthly all paper which has been destroyed in use or which is con- 
sidered no longer serviceable. This should be listed on Form 605, copy of 
which, is forwarded to the Home Office for permission to take credit for 
same. Upon receipt of approval from the Home Office credit should be 
taken for this stock on Form 607 by making an entry in black ink, using 
the caption "CONDEMNED PAPER," to distinguish it from all other 
entries. 

This record is the shipping clerk's "best_friend," as it will tell him when to 
order additional advertising, by advising him at all times of the stock on 
hand, the quantities delivered during any previous period and the quantities 
received. All of this will assist him in keeping his shelves sufficiently sup- 
plied to anticipate the wants of our exhibitors. 

Form 108 Use one sheet for each feature, entering at the top of the page the name of 

In and Out tne feature and its official number. Arrange these forms numerically in your 

r> l r -p-i binder, as in this manner the number of the feature will become the num- 

ber of the page in your binder, and will coincide with the arrangement of 
the films in the vault. Enter in this book all deliveries of films to an 
exhibitor whether from the Branch or another exhibitor. These entries should 
be made from the film shipping slip in the following manner: 

On shipping date enter "DATE OF SHIPMENT" in the first column ; "EX- 
HIBITOR'S NAME" in the second column; "ADDRESS" in the third 
column, and the "PLAY DATE" in the column headed "NUMBER OF 
DAYS USED." 

When a film is returned from an exhibitor the return date must be entered 
in the column provided for that purpose. As this entry is made from your 
"FILM RETURN TICKET," which also is the inspector's report, the date 
of inspection and condition of print should also be entered in their respective 
columns. When a print is shipped directly from one exhibitor to another 
this fact should be shown in the entry by using the words "DIRECT SHIP- 
MENT" instead of the inspection date and condition of print. 

The column headed "AMOUNT EARNED" may be disregarded as this in- 
formation is derived from another source. 

Form 104 This Form is issued by the Home Office on all shipments of advertising 

Snipping matter, films and property of every description to the Branch. 



Notice 



No. 2 copy is forwarded to the Branch as soon as issued and should be filed 
numerically by shipping clerk. On receipt of goods shipping clerk will 
find a No. 3 copy of this Form enclosed in package, against which he should 
immediately check the contents. He must now remove the No. 2 copy from 
his file, acknowledge receipt of goods thereon, placing date, contents, trans- 
portation charges and his signature in the spaces reserved for this purpose 
and return same to the Home Office. 

Copy No. 3 becomes the receiving record of the Branch and should be re- 
tained in their files. 

96 



Form 679 

Exchange 
Shipping 



Noti 



ice 



Form 118 
Requisition 



This form contains four copies and is to be used in all cases where property 
of any description is transferred from one exchange to another, or to the 
Home Office, and is not covered by Combination Form No. 105-106. 



Copy No. 1 is to be approved by the branch manager and attached to copy 
No. 4, which will be returned to him by shipping clerk after shipment has 
been made, at which time both copies will be placed in the files, becoming the 
branch record. 

Copy No. 2 is the packing slip and should be placed in the package at time 
of shipment. The receiving exchange will check the receipt of goods against 
copy No. 2, acknowledge receipt on same and forward it to the Home Office 
after making the proper entries on their property books. 

Copy No. 3 is the exchange shipping advice and must be mailed to the Home 
Office at time of shipment. 

Copy No. 4 should be used as the basis of entry by the shipping clerk trf 
recording this transaction on his property books (Forms 607 or 108) and 
give to the manager, who will attach same to copy No. 1 and retain in the 
branch files. 

Whenever an exchange desires to replenish their stock of advertising matter, 
or draw on the Home Office for any supplies, this Form is in order. It is 
not to be used, however, in purchases of stationery or supplies by the Branch, 
in which case you must use the exchange purchase order. 

The requisition should state plainly the date, number, name of branch, and 
date on which the goods covered by such requisition will be required. This 
Form must then be signed by the party issuing same and approved by the 
branch manager. 



97 



ample Forms 



WEEKLY BRANCH REPORT 



Form D-l 



Week Ending October 16, 1915 
Sale $27 50.00 

Collections $2752.50 



Atlanta 

Outstanding Acct's $516.10 
Disbursements 



Branch #13 



$368.90 



ADVANCE BOOKINGS BY SALESMAN 



James Doe 
Frank Zinn 
J. B. Hearney 



$1876.40 
3780.00 
3745.50 



COLLECTIONS BY SALESMAN 

Contraot 

n«- '8 9 00. TO 

James Doe • 740. 00 

Frank Zinn ' 0Q 

j. b. Hearney 660. Ju 



Total 



$3300.00 



Wildcat 

§335.00 

138.00 

99.50 

$453.50 



City 



ITEMIZED SALES & RENTALS 



Theatre 



Borne, Ga. Bonita 
Columbia, S.C Grand 
Tampa, Fla. Pastime 
Thomasville.Ga. Arcadia 



Miami, Fla. Strand 
Lindale, Ga. Lyric 
Barnell.S.C Frolic 



Feature 



Date 



Contract 

Bridges Oct. 4 

Impostor * 

Old Dutoh " o 

Master Hand 5 



Wildcat' 

5th Command. 



Mrs. Wiggs 
Pit 



Film Price Total Pric 



$15.00 $20.00 

30.00 23.90 

15.00 17.50 

30.00 25.75 



form 



vh- 



,vr. 



CW 



De 



C* 



tut 



C& n 



tor. 



Ga- 



^ 



ee 



Mf 



Vt 









ott 



Cotv 



Utvue< 



?$ 



jtfM 5 



feaW e 



Da^ e 




£20 



p t \ce 



.00 

.00 



§20' 
$2$ 



pnce 



.00 
.00 



99 



UNSERVED PROSPECT LIST 



FOR WEEK - . - f. 

ENDING OCt* IS 



POPULATION, 
100000 



14000 

22000 
14600 
32964 

14000 
13000 

233 25 



32000 
23356 
13464 
14 693 
12397 
2 3416 



division Western 



CITY AND STATE 

CITIES 0V 
Salt Lake, Utah 



Murray , 

Midvale 
Bingham 
Lehi, 



Amer. Fork, " 
Pleasant Grove 
Provo, Utah 



Heber, " 
Springviiie " 
Spanish Fork" 
Salem, " 
Pay eon, " 
Eureka, " 





BRANCH 
MAr 


Salt Lake . 


THEATRE 


<AGER 


R 10,000. 






American 


H. 


A. Sims 


Rex 


» 


H ft 


Liberty 


N 


H ft 


Broadway 


M. 


H Hanauer 


Iris 


J.. 


W. Johnston 


Happy Hour 


J. 


S. Barlow 


Elyeum 


J. 


S. Brown 


Princess 


R. 


H. Jones 


Royal 


S. 


I* Goodwin 


0. Houee 


G. 


P. Garff 


Orient 


C. 


G. Purrington 


0. House 


W. 


E. Clark 


Ellen 


Epperson Bros. 


Princess 


A. 


L. Stallings 


Columbia 


J. 


B. Ashton 


Ideal 


J. 


H. Killer 


Star 


Clifton Pierce 


Angelus 


I. 


Swenson 


Salem 


Andrew Peterson 


Gayety 


G. 


H. Done 


Star 


E. 


J. Rhoad 



REMARKS 



Cities from 5,000 to 10,000, 



C500 

7645 
5964 
7955 
5900 
7507 



Mammoth, Utah 

Silver City " 
Hephi, Utah 
Moroni, " 

Manti , " 
Gunnison, " 



Photoplay 
0. House 
0* House 
Venice 
Kozy 
0. Hoi 



Magee& Mc In tyre 
S. J. Haseel 
E. F. Birch 
V^l** Foote 

Bradley 
tringham 
gins 




100 









y 


. , 


■OHM «D 




GROUPED PROSPECT LIST 


ROUTE #1 






RRANr.H Salt Lake 


City. state Utah. 




CITY and STATE 


POP'N 


THEATRE 


MANAGER 


SEATS 


REPORT 


w 


Salt Lake, Utah 


100C0C 


American 

LlSarty 


H. A. Si*e 


1200 


Expect to get contract here shortly 


w 


« it 11 


It 


Bro.iJ//ay 


M. H Kanauer 


70c 


T is man is .vorked by the manager. 




Murray, Utah. 


4-000 


Iris 


J W. Johnson 


250 


They always call at this office. 




it n 


n 


Happy Hour 


J. S. Barlow 


199 


tl n ti n n ii 




Mi A vale " 


20C0 


Elysum 


J . S Brown 


225 


Work from this office. 




Bingham " 


4-500 


Princess 


Jimpson & Jone 


8 20C 


Running Universal Clark called S/25/15. 








Trip r 


tade by Nehls ar 


d Gil 


mour . 




Lehi, Utah. 


2961 


Royal 


S . I . Goodwin 


64-5 


S/2S Using Mutual and Paramount 


X 


n n 


f . 


Opera House 


G.P. Garff 


300 


0/2S UBing Universal, prospects good 


w 


American Fork" 


4ooo 


Orient 


C. G. Purringl 


,on4<K 


10/4- Booked six wildcats (weekly) 




Pleasant Grove 


3000 


Opera Hruse 


W> E. Clark 


350 


2/2S Runs two days a week regular program 




Provo, Utah 


S925 


Ellen 


Epperson Bros 


4oo 


Good prospect Already ran World Film 




n n 


n 


Princess 


A.L.Stallings 


550 


General program only, no features 

Notable) 


X 


it n 


R 


Columbia 


J. B. Ashton 


1300 


Poor chanoe here (Ashton is vice president 




Heber, Utah. 


2000 


Ideal 


J. H Miller 


4O0 


S/l6-19 Good prospect Already run World. 




Springville, n 


3356 


Star 


Clifton Pierc< 


1 !JO0 


10/4- Good prospect Already run World. 




Spanish Fork" 


34-64- 


Angelue 


I Swenson 


4-00 


10/3 Expect to sign this man very shortly. 




Salem, Utah. 


693 


Salem 


Andrew Peters< 


>n 24-! 


i Wildcat prospect only. 

starts 


c. 


Payson, Utah. 


2397 


Gayety 


G H Done 


700 


10/3 Signed Shubert & Brady crntract 10/17 




Eureka, Utah. 


3^16 


Star 


E. J Rhoad 


500 


6/24 Possible prospect 




Mammoth, Utah 


1000 


Photoplay 


Magee & Mclnt 


irre 3 


i>0 6/25 Used third circuit. Possible prospeot. 




n n 


It 


Opera House 


S. J Hassel 


500 


6/25 This house closed part of time 




Silver City " 


200 


it n 


E F Birch 


150 


Never did business Very small town. 


c 


Nephi, Utah 


3500 


Venice 


V. M. Foots 


700 


9/2 Domr business now on contract. 




Moroni, Utah. 


1200 


Kozy 


Edgar Bradley 


350 


3/19 Only business done here has been wild 


c 


Epr.rai.M, Utah. 


2297 


Mozart 


E S Mads en 


4-00 


2/26 Signed up on S & B Contract 




Manti, Utah 


3000 


Opera Hcuee 


C M Stringh 


air, 70 


3 9/27 Very good prospect (Hammer) 




Gunriison, Utah 


1200 


Caolmo 


Mr Duggine 


4-00 


9/2S Possible prospect Follow up. 


1 











101 




Pueblo, Colo. 

Princess Theatre 

G. W. Thompson 

Colonial-Foster 

Bros. 

Maze - R. w. 

Jenkins 



Great opportunity here tor «i--T — 

However must b P \»Z « P laci ng second run 

Class B subject such --*«- &t ~° an J* don9 °* 



lida, Colo. 

wo 'lB, F. " 



,. - — — ' ( i""t ouun as "Hi; 
Adventures of a Boy Scout." 

P?ay TheftrJs K %' le ^^^^^hoTo7 
salLmeS been' to c^L^ 1 ^ """Lone have 
been written ma^imes™ £t a^K prt^J^ 

hfm nth n0t + v 8UCCeeded ii doing bS^^ 

him, other than a few wild^s^S-^ 

ii we have to wildcai— --- 

selections ani—i— — " 

Price_JJ-= o e poP T 




a out o 1 T) es' nx, „ eC on d Tv * u* 9t Vl run. t r0 ^ er . 



Thea tre 



»oo d 

VLOW e 



•^he aVre 



t9 co«*>r Tno o d * v^iia. D „ /^ 

r , ^e v' an ^ nei^Vt^^ I 2^ 4 * /~^^-^~^ 



102 



Contract H-503. 5# 

September ...5.tiu~* - 



jtejwix-a-JftiiMti i - - 

jtjrflMJfc.Bxflft*?<* — ■ 



p.e.Qr.v&.*..-lU.'". 



Sept. let* »■*•■ 

pictures so delivereu may hereof at the following 



r n d V noi otherwise, to wit: 

Name of Theatre: 



Lyceum 



Place: 

Peoria, 111* 
(let run in Peoria. 111.) 



Exhibition Day«: 

Wednesday 

& M 
Thursday- 






I^^eh^underW giving notice 

pictures to be delivereu respect! 

THIRD-The Exhibitor shall pay 1 

DoUV 

speeding week each °f such motio, 

„„.„=,. rented by Distributor to 

twenty-*- 00/100. . 

fo^lnce of this agreement by «h 
us e of said motion pictures and - 

Two :;..-(-* )" J 

FOURTH-The Exhil 

nress to the Distributor at 
u,or such motion picture: 
.ion of the period here.jv 
shipments both ways. V 
Ul contract without 
vwice the amount on 
for all damage result 
harmless on accoun* 
return any °f «"*) 
ten cents (10c) P rf 
tributor for any " 

F1FTH- 
other advertisi 
local advertir 
S1XT 



Lhe day or days JM «n thereo f. , hf mot ion 

"^---^^Corr^^^y^s 

"<2-""?d° n B"« Ste Exhibitor shall not exh.b.t any 



.Thir.ty.^..oo/^ 



« . .h» rieht to exhibit during the 

security for the per- 
-reement for the 



the last 




termi 

te: 

Distributor 

ELEVENTH 



^s~shaU finish su 

5UCh th ;wFLFTH-T S he provisions hereol 

TWELFTH in v , this agreeu 

^^Hr^TH-T- Exhibitor shall not .IS 

th ' T 1F TE y E NTH-'« y r;nrrs°t f o:dtha,a,, options arising h.reu, 
,... ofthe™ of New York. 



h to 

Tm of 

Dis- 

fctures. 

, and 

ses of 

^tor. 

,ly liable for 

/tor shall pay 

of the entire 

F with the terms 
£ier for shipment 
/ne .failure to make 
Aure, provided the 
ich omission, at least 
delay in or failure to 
,.. motion picture, 
•w motion picture while 
It/ where said theatre or 
fenod such actor is sched- 
ybicture. UndMnoatcum- 
(Jion picture delivered to the 

Jnts hereof the Distributor may 
/entitled hereunder, 
'ovenanta of this agreement, the 

id'ag.eemen. are booked at theatres 

Lpletton of their respective runs at 

•rion and return of said motion pictures 

hereunder without the written consent of 

' an y time terminate the same by mailing to 

(.interpreted and governed under and by the 



WORLD HLM COR^RATION, 



103 



2*"**+ ^ 4 ^e aeaf 

^^ / e * ... /*■ ■-■** ........;- 



Copy 



■Vo. 

Cc "nme n ee, 
D, 



52., 

Dp. 






^l^aftet- 



k» 



-ZTZZ""'" ~"~* 






Third 



To. 



^Wabl e 



-°i>tr a , 



S*5f*„,*^S»*-- \-^r- 

c^^l^^c^^^ \ : . 



-nkt^ w ._„ n? * & « s aiive - 



flflB^vJ^"*^ - 

"^ : ^:«v*^v» 






o^ 



,,, w p. 5000 



— exchange ^tr: r* *-^' 

i4JJre». i# . 15,191? fcn 

&"*■ I. begin ^^ 

Express. 



fuo 




No. H-1063 



FILM RETURN SLIP 
307 SO, FABA8H AVE. „ fle 

^r^i^^m^^ CHICAG0 ' «*- STr-i^rg^ 

. ADVE RT ,„r^ — - 7^— PL ^y patf 9/2B 




Form MM" 



SHIP FEA TURE 

*7 p V E R T 

T 7 9/18 



Wo. H-1063 

Smith 

9/35-15 

PIT 
N o. H-1063 L 0Q 

S«5itb___ ( 5<oo 
.00 



TO- 
ADOF 
VIA - | 



Porn 105.J08 



.74 
> "' u v74 

^OWN :3aS^^-gT37- - AD vf«HT_.. 

OUANTtTV 



Tot'Xl Rent- 



_8HrPFeATUWE TWT? pj J 



No - H-1063 I 



FILM PACKING SLIP 

CHICAGO, IL L AVE - ONCo NTWAeTNo _ff r65 ! 



5.p0_„ 
,74._ 




address. 9r£&mrmMx-' 



Wo. H-1063 

Smith 
9 /35-l5 
THE PIT 




IVCW ■ — 

130 vest 46T« ST««rr 

T«L. COMHCCTIOH 



*" ,3 „ O tO 20M-JI0 

'ioRUOFlUM CORPORATION T3 

NE W YORK. N- Y - "« ME 120 TREM01IT AVE. NEW 

rHE ArBe ^S 01 ^ 1 TQ15. 
UEOOE CU ..>«T AccountOWm^P^p M 

' j " "TIG _____ to plat- 

I '°KH 113 u a r ~ ■ 

TO RENTAL FEATURE- Wo CI? J""*'' ~"~" 

WORLD FIL M C0RJ> OfiATlOw 

TO SALES. EXTBAl /V£ W YORK. N . y 

-**!__Lh.mJ -oo^:;^ *— J. ROBERTS 

,.*s« aoo *«*« 130 THEMONT AVE 

TO »*,.„. EXTR4 ~~ T ° ""V_0C|\3 

3^o~! Mt " 8t,rHo » -i* 

"^-"tg-HMALO* 



imoice A 5236 

<CO«T«*CT«0. f 

e ._ £S *.N VIALDER 

ACCOUNT NO. R~" 
SUP «o- "* 



I DIST RIBUTION 

_ « RENT 

I AOVTOG.BENT 

II TOTAL RENT 
-TOO SOLO 



TOTAL 



_._Tn..HIBALC/ Twl. 

NOTE: 

TO Rental 



NEW YORK 



— «e canoa 



t ROBERT 3 , ^. TIE* ™ B * 



N0BUU r . fc ». 
NB \HYOR*- * 

,30 WE= T "° 



''IS.! 



:;s 



-» 113 M. a CO, 10M-2-IB 

ToMN „ U F t »to« WORLD FILM CORPORATION 

NEW YORK. N. Y. 

. _s EXTI 
TO SAL«- • ;3o ivcsr AGth srncer 

SHE' 

-l'~"c\* TEL. COriMECTIOM 

_ 00^ ...HES 

j*-» S'n ..-_ 



2o7oo( 

>»,0\CE ** 

^TPAOTNO. 330 

ACCOUNT NO. ■» 
SLIP NO- 



1 FILM BE« T 
UoVTSOB^ 1 

|tot^Bent 



hwke A ?52g£ 

°°"Ta* OTNo 220 
Mt «"""v ?/ALDER 
tccoum-Ho. R-2 

BUR HO. 13 



T^H 




TEL. COHtteCTi 
NOTE 



»A«£ J, ROBERTS 

A OOHESS 120 TREMOMT AVE. NEW YORK 

THEATRE CROTOHA 

»«m o ion c 



1 '■» Ma 



»™?"» THEATRE CHOTOHA 

OATC OCT. S, 1915. 
MAIL TO AUDITOR ON DATE OF INVOICE. 



invoice A 5236 

CO/VJWACT «o. 220 

BAtCSAfA/vWALDER 
SUP NO. 13 




WORLD FILM CORPORATION 

W EW YORK. N.y. 

ISO We-ST 46TH STRBBT-- 
ret-. COItMEGTION 



INVOICE /V O gi <j I) 



__± ^SeMONT AVE. NEW YORK 

r„ £ AT« £ CROTONA 

oat, OCT. 3, 191o 



CONTRACT «0. ""^ 
8 ALES*A«WALDER 
ACCOUNT NO. R— a» 

8U TJIWal2 4' destroy 



TO B t NTAL FCATOHE-IiAMER-^rLNG 

TO SALES. EXTRA ADVERTISING 

SHEETS LITHOS 1S - 3S 

Il,0Q0_.HE a ALO8 
10_«S CABOE 



TO PUAY-OCI^ 3 - 




Terms 

■ Jiil checks ami 

communications 

musl be nudo 

(o WORLD FILM 

COHPOItATIGK 

and sent to 

local office f?om 

which smlca 

Is rendered. 

Sc:»i:o m-jst ba 

oald for in 

u diance. 

Fairmonts <™sl 

be made 
according (• 
Imoice. Ho 
ooritnl oa;meati 
accepted. Wa 
par no GKDrist 
chate«. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Film rent 
.advtsq rent 
total rent 
aovtsq solo 
total advto 

TOTAL INVOICE 




106 



.«n wear ■asm 






«... «««■"" 



5 . 9 |XS|X6THST. 



Bfll YORK 




— «, 93 EAST — 

ADO*"* 3 ^ ^ „ 

„«.«• LIBERTY 5 

OCT. 9 'i5337_ja^S s 

m^^^Tsl oof 



A 

cjRtDH MM -^ 

COHEN 

SALESMAN ^ 
ACCOST NO. b 

sup «°- 



36S4I 



FORM M3U M - — Mn 



_HIR»U' 

..a 



FILH 

FOR 9 



3C 1 "^^CORPORATION 

I ,3 ° "*** -»er„ s « fcr 
NEW YORK. /V. y. 

T "- COAF«CTVO/» 




Br Rebatc. 

BV MDSE. R ET . 

" SH «T8UTMOS ,, 

,. ' **■ -33.. 

Heralds 

"'"S CABDS 



| ADVT60 
| TOTAL 

1 ADVTS- 

I TOTAL A°« TO 

Loui.w" EMO 



»*"' S. SILVER 

, OCT. 9, 29is 




"""■A 368-A 



mlcsam,, COHEN 

•COOUHTNO. S-6 
SUP /VO. 8 



-TO PLAY_OCT_. 2_ 
PBICE 



cKon 



MM A 



36ot\LRsnt 



J 190OO 



NEW YORK 

T « L . CO*" 5 " " 






-— !?*SS 



IO RtT'O 
AOVTO 
I. MEMO 




BY RIBATI 

BY 




M0 8E. "« , ° 

_S«CtTBUTHO 

HIBALDS 

._X» CABO» 




8y "Mate ~~tX7Z 

:Z2 ^1-0F j arc_ 

8VM °8 E . RCT , 

~ SM "*«t.TM08 

~- — MCRALOS —■»■ _ 3a 

* 8 C*BOB 



«•« S. SILVER 
"""«a 93 BJ.ST ,_ 

^^ = ========a== ==== _ ===:=: _ = °^ OCT„ 3 



"S". S m ' D wo u re 




1 ool 



; ***«««* CDHEff 

• SUP NOi Q 

/r I2Z-*' 

J F "-«R»NT 

Wrso RENT 
J T °r*L r £nt 

(*OVTSOR lrD 
J T °TAti, DUJ . g 

r or ^c B . MEMO 




TOTAI 



108 




agcgvEc 

STREET 



M0r '^P ( cru4^ ECfe " ,p T 

■ S C0 *P0 RATI0N to*, * .__-.. 



°'ce No. 






1 "o' show ,|,: 

5ara " ««,-„. ,_. morc "'an 



3 "' ou "' VMM, „„ ^;« ■"^T^t— ~ 

cac 1 invoice 'nvojce k ,. 



PAYMENT RECE8PT |nvoiceNo ^a35L_ 

— — — - «*oiuo£fiCORPORATION 



RPORATION 




PART PAYMENT RECEIPT 

EQUITABLE MOTION PICTURES CORPORATION ,nV ° iCe N °- 5§?£ 




Invoice No. 5339 — 

3.1915 



Date 



give reason of 



Do not fail to give i 

partial payment on back ot 

■ -'i Ihr Branch and Home 







PART PAYMENT RECEIPT, , _ a9B 

Invoice No. -5239- 
EOUITABLE MOTION PICTURES CORPORATION 

N EW YORK 






DATE 



OCT. 3, 1915. 



Invoice No 5339 

I? 
Date OCT. 3, 1915 

Do not fail to give reason of 
partial payment on back of 
both the Branch and Home 
Office Copies. 




RECEIVED FROM 



S. JACOBS 



THEATRE 



RBX 



DISTRIBUTION 



i23-3rd ave» town bronx; not york $ 3Q»oo 



STREET ADDRZSS 



TOTAL 

ADVERTISEMENT 
qHAROEP 



the sum of THIRTY 00 — — 

ToU 

IN PART PAYMENT OF J t VAL E NTINE FEATURE. ON OUR INVOICE OF 



DOLLARS ', Vaip ON a/c _ 



OCT. 3, 1915:, 



BALANCE DUE 



COPY 1 



Equitable Motion Pictures Corporation 

■y. J*dL^Q&< 



FILM RENTAL 
CHARGED 



PAID ON A/C 



NOTEi Do not show this amount against more than one invoice. Where more than one invoice is covered in partial 
payment make separate receipt for the amount applying on each invoice. 



BALANCE D UE 



AMOUNT 



7 


00 


7 


00 


30 


00 


23 


00 


7 


00 



ATTACH THIS COUPON TO YOUR 
INVOICE COPY 4 



Formlll-ltai i-ll-B 



World Film Corporation 



NOTE 



MANAGER MUST GIVE REASONS IN 

LIST OF UNPAID INVOICES FROM ACTIVE FILE "o% m ^h%%^ n £ f %£ d " X^"o T r 

ALL ACCOUNTS OUTSTANDING MORE 
MAIL TO AUDITOR EACH SATURDAY. RETAIN A COPY THAN ONE WEEK 



OFFICE NO L 



-CITY- 



KEW YOKX 



.STATE tLX. 



OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTS 



.ON. 



October 3nd. 191 5 



NAME OF CUSTOMER 



CITY AND STATE 



REMARKS 



8-16 
S-5 
£-30 
9-35 
9-2S 
10-1 



0. Howe 
A. R. Case 
Soward & Knight 
!.!. Carson 
F. Jones 
H. Brown 






?-13 
3-10 
9-3 



7-5 

8-3 
9-1 



Colonial Amuse. Co. 
A. B. Carson 
F. J. Clark 



Baylie & Carlln 
Central Circuit 
Sr. ith i, Hughes 



Star 

Olympic 

Adelpr.ia 

Gaiety. 

Hoir.e 

Empire 



NiTark, N.J. 
Brooklyn, N.Y. 
Jersey Cityl'J 
New York, N.Y. 
New York, N.Y. 
Bronx, N. Y. 



7801 
7964 
S001 
£015 
8030 
8045 



50.00 
75.00 
45.00 
100.00 
35.00 
15.00 



310.00 



OVERPAYMENTS 



Variety 
Airdrome 
Total Ov 



New York, N.Y. 

Hoboken.N. J. 
Union Hill, N.J 
erbayipente 



ADVANCE PAYMENTS ON YEARLY 



00NT JACTS 



Pleasure 

Alhamfcra 
Total Advanc 



New York, N.Y. 
it n H 

Kcboken, N.J. 
Payments 



cr. 
2560 

2704 

2750 



45. CO 

7 ^C 

75.00 

5.00 



50.00 
30.00 
37.50 
35.00 
25.00 
10.00 



132.50 



177.50 



15.00 

10.50 

7-50 



33.00 



100.00 

50.00 
75.00 



225.00 



110 



WORLD FILM CORPORATION EXPENSE ACCOUNT 

...C.«...R.,...Ca;r.e.y Salesman. San.Prancieco BRANCH 

(Nunc) (PontioD) 

WEEK ENDINC .QC.t.Qb£X.. 15th.,. .196 APPROVED BY 



MEALS 

CASH FARE 

SLEEPING CAR. 
STREET CAR .... 



TOTAL EACH DAY . . 
MILEAGE USED 



p.. 00 

£0. 



-,05. 



U.CH1...Q0. .L..Q0L, 
.50. J-.5C1-, 



.3...2.0. 



,501 



j.c ._H5. 



_*1C 



-2-.602 



..♦30 



nCTAII S Kill muldeULU.uid.ddc 
UL 1 A1L3 comer of ublo. Alww. , 



HOTEL _ 

at SML-J?x.an£is£.o 

SLEEPING CAR 

FROM 

TO 



hotel JKani-gQaeiy 

at 5aa..J.s.ae 

SLEEPING CAR 

FROM 

TO 



hotel MQDieDmery. 

at Saji-jilflas 

SLEEPINC CAR 

FROM 

TO._ 



HOTEL...Svt—. £eoa-.£e~ 
at Sania.-Cj-.UiUi 

SLEEPING CAR 

FROM 

TO - 



HOTEL„.S.t...- GaoxgeL. 
at Ean.ts...Cxuze 

SLEEPING CAR 

FROM 

TO 



hotei — Eac i£ic— Gxov e; 

at .Ea£if±a_£xav.e 

SLEEPING CAR 

FROM , _ 

TO 



HOTEL ..... 

at San... Paiane.la c 

SLEEPING CAR 

FROM 

TO 



CASH FARE 



MILEAGE USED 



CASH FARE 



CASH FARE 



From Saii_Jo.ae- 

To Far.ta. din 

Fro=.. Jji-s...Gat ca... 
To £&n_„ J.aae 

From . . 

To 



CASH FARE 



CASH FARE 



From 



CASH FARE 



CASH FARE 



_l£on±£Lrej|L_ From...5aata_CLrJ 
._2&.ai£ic_Gr< we JUsmiexe? 




FORM 671 




























Sheet No 


1 




World Film Corporation 








Pftty Cash Amount Week Ending 


u;t 


191 5 
No 32 

> AUDITOR 
LL ITEMS. 




ALBANY 




Branch 

SEND ORIGINAL COPY TC 
3ERED IN ROTATION FOR A 


MAKE AN EXACT CARBON DUPLICATE OF THIS SHEET WHICH RETAIN IN YOUR OFFICB AS YOUR PETTY CASH BOOK ANC 
MAKE NO ERASURES — CROSS OUT MISTAKES AND RE-ENTER ITEMS. BALANCE CASH BOOK WEEKLY. SEND VOUCHERS NUM 


DATE 


NAME 


DISBURSED FOR 


vo. 

NO. 


AMOUNT 


FOR USE OF HOME OFFICE ONLY 


DISTRIBUTION 


PAID OUT 


RECEIVED 


EXPENSES 


AMOUNT 






To Balance On Hand, Las'. 


Report 


















41 


15 


Advertising 












Oct 


r 


Adams Express <"!» 


Express 


1 








? 


37 










Auditing 










n 


1- 


American' " " 


N 


P 








4 


18 












Censors 












H 


12 


Wells Fargo " " 


II 


3 








7 


82 












Commissions 












it 


i; 


John Doe 


Trav. Expense 


A 






2 


1 


36 












Com. Adv. Not Earned 












n 


13 


Ck.from H.O. 




















15 


ft 


85 


Dep Furn. and Fixt. 












n 


13 


Bill Hoozus 


ii ii 


5 




1 


6 


98 












Expressage 












n 


16 


F.M. Smith 


Salary Mgr. 


6 




4 





00 












Film Rep and Renew. 












ii 


16 


L.K. Jones 


■ Bkkpr. 


7 




1 


R 


on 












Furn. and Fixt. Rep. 
















\ 
























Insurance 
















\ 


























Legal 






! 








\ 


























Permits 
















\ 


























Postage 
















\ 


























Poster Mtg., 
Rep. & Renew. 
















\ 


























Rent L. H.&. Power 












J 




\ 


























Salaries 
















\ 


























Telephone & Tel. 




1 










Specimen Petl 


y Cash Accoun* 
























Traveling 




| 




































Miscel. Exp. 




| 








































• | 










ToWi ( 


ontingont Fun< 
























U— n 
















$400.00 


















"~U 
























R \ \ 
















^^^ 




.*-£— 




i*b \ \ 
















^^^^^^^ 


— ~*~ T£ as 

at DA t£ 

i. ■«• c\ 1 » 


*-c\Cl 


^ \ u 
















\ r 


M vvobv.o^ mCO ~ 

, FROM VN 

n & oo/jS9 


\ r 
















\ \ 4 


OOLLA« S \ \ 
















\ \ 6R^ N ° 


w 
















\ \ Becewet 


■ \ \J 
















^4 \ 


\ V 


1 












I\ \ sms 


. ,/« w /?M ' \ 

ssJ-*** \ 














\ \ 


1 BRANCH 


OFFICE 






\\ \ ... 3& 






11 





71 
































« 


9_ 


04 









VOUCHER f 






_ "Rdvanca 






4 


C 


00 




— 


\ \* f o.^ 2 "^ " 
























in Bank 







Ly 


c_ 


^0- 






\ \— ■ ^^^ALANCE 


:5 




2 


8< 


I 


29 




























v.— - — " 


TOTAL 






4.1 


,0! 1 


)0 




4 


X 




no 


TOTAL. FUND 




4 




) 


00 








I I 




I I I 






— r-rl 







112 



—»- ~om WO RLD F1LM CORp ~~^ &4- <* ,.,„- 

■n. ^ "-Mcoup o RATION 

/ ££- ~ ndemand of * ecorporation 

^fe<3, ~ 

.JtJ. 

a? 




0«t„ 



H ' o '"-o7T77; — —--___ 

\ 3805 / -——J L' a ' e -«»/^^ :==:==:: ======^ = __ "°" «*««- 



/lS 3350 




to T. t ._Br.Qwn_ &__££.,-, 

address. .__22_W_3bster._ Ave... ±_ .M.Y^C. 



EXCHANGE COPY 

BRANCH EXCHANGE PURCHASE ORDER 

WORLD FILM CORPORATION 

DATE. QQt . ___22./__'_lp_i9i__ 



terms „..60_dajrs_ 



Order Ho. 879 



KINDLY FURNISH~THE FOLLOWING. 

ship to W.oxld. IAlm..£ox$.*+..._ 

Address f_ ,_Y_._C_._ ship via.AX.. collect DaterequireDjIQ/jS.3. 




•AUDITOR COPY^ ase OROER 
BR r0RLD C rM E C0R P R AT 1 N ^ aat _ 2al5 ._ 

„.» JQJMM 



191 -- 



ADDRESS. 









SHIP VIA 



tyj 




Older No. 879 

ex J=°^* DATB " EOt 



3Q/3&- 



pricb 



£.60 P« 



Box 




N, 



A °DRESS. ->-, . 

.». Y. c 



'^^jssssr 



terms 6Q__days 




Form 1°* 



Date 



FEATURE- 



1915 
1/24 

1/26 

2/20 

3/10 

4/5 

6/8 

7/U 

8/15 



OUT 



Sent to 



Star Thea. 
Gem Thea. 
Orpheum Thea. 
Rex Thea. 

Opera House 

pearl Thea. 

Boston Exchange 

Strand Thea. 



Brooklyn. 

Bronx 

Newark 
Albany 
Hew Haven 
Hartford 

Trenton 



Nu.be, ^NSPECT^ Amount 



1/26 

1/37 

2/23 

3/12 

4/7 

6/9 

7/4 



1 

1 

3 

1 

1 

1 



1/26 
1/27 
2/23 

3/12 

4/7 

6/9 

7/14 



Good 

Good 

Good 

Good 

Fair 

Fair 

Poor 









^LO «£? °' 




SO- 6 




' s s</ec 




115 



EXCHANGE SHIPPING RECORD 



No 23 



WORLD FILM CORPORATION at ina. Date iq/io/is 



Shipping Clerk mu»t check, tign and 



snter the property mentioned; if fiim, in Form 108; if other property, in Form €07. 



To Manager: 



1 have slii 




to "R£CJ* V 



ia 



U^thotity- 



EXCHANGE SHIPPING NOTICE No .lh 

WOELD FILM rftOPOUftTIftft" -* In A-. Date^Pl^/M. 



Th,", bi.nk -.. be m*de out for a., movement of FUm or property not cov.red by Sbippin* SUp. Form »0S «d 
106 STATE PURPOSE OF SHIPMENT AFTER EACH ARTICLE. 



To Shipping Clerk: 



Ship articles below on. 



Oct. 22/15 



Date to be shipped 



Via.. 



JKxLPP* 

Express, Freight or Mall 



Collect To ____etticaga,„lil*. 

"Prepaid 



Authority -Mr-." 1f-.-- A lt±"'Bn33B; 




N° 22519 



,„,„»,.,.». PACKI NO ■"*" 

W^^fS WO P. ON.. 



PHONE 
BRYANT 4020 



^ WEST 46TH STREET 
NEW YORK 



NOTE-this COPY MUSJAC 



-g&T~ 



COUiCT 

0flB5W» 




Form 104-C Brot. 10M-7-15-B 601 



PHONE 
BRYANT 4020 



SHIPPING TICKET 

WORLD FILM CORPORATION 

130 WEST 46th STREET 
NEW YORK 



N? 22519 



Req. No.--.234. 
P. 0. NoJA5S5_ 



Via— — .^JB-ariC-aJO-. 



...PREPAID 



rw» QcijL.-21 f _..ia.iii 

To f-t^r a 7i pt f- & •Eng^-flfl**- si« P to 

Addre*. gflttJtelt-flli* _ ====: _Ag ! « =r ^ 



JJAH OF THF FOUR 



5C-1 chaste * iU 
5C-3 n - " 

50-»6 " 



n n « 



>6t « flee 



Cl 



U 



lisued by — /• — 



THIS SLIP MUST BE RETURNED 



Purchasing Agent 

World Film Corporation 

130 West 46th Street, N. Y. C. 



If unable to ship immediately or as instructed return 



N9 22519 

this slip stating reasons and earliest 



possible date of **£«*fr^ u ^^Vhen .^-14-^ , * # <* 

If shipped, how-fe^ — ^ „. . , / V- _^^ ^ ^ T c _ 

Signed ../fe^-..fe—- • "' 



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